On Broken Wings
by paulinemcc
Summary: Summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer-**Own nothing but the idea.

**Summary- **As a human Bella was powerless to protect her family and loved ones against the decisions of others, and the horrors they inflicted. As a vampire, all she had was a thirst for revenge and time to make everyone pay for what happened. But that didn't ease any of her pain and anguish over it, only one thing would do that, and she had an eternity to wait if need be.

**On Broken Wings**

**Chapter One**

Night had fallen again, but Bella didn't care as she raced through yet another forest. She jumped over fallen tree limbs, over rivers, and passed animals that scarcely noticed as she ran faster than it was possible to see with the human eye. She wasn't interested in blood right now, she had more pressing matters to deal with. She hadn't hunted in almost a week but the hunger wasn't there, and even if it was she wouldn't have chanced stopping to eat. She had no idea if she was already too late.

_I'm not, I can't be, I have to get there before... I have to._

She ran as much as she could in a straight line towards her intended destination. She had no idea how many miles she'd left to go but she knew she was close. And that was all she could think about. She'd be there soon, another hour of running perhaps, and then she'd have her answer. And then she'd know if she was in time or if she was already too late to make a difference.

Leaves and branches brushed against her limbs as she dodged around trees but she didn't let any of it slow her down. She too a deep breath, as she had done several times already, to see if there was anything in range of her she needed to be concerned with, human or otherwise. But all she could detect was the wilderness of the forest.

_Good, I don't have time for twenty questions. _If she had found a scent that bothered her she would have tried to go around it, whatever it was, rather than risking losing time with a confrontation. _I'd probably just kill it and be on my way. _That thought didn't bring the mix of emotions it once would have, but then, a lot had changed. Morals and justice didn't sit side by side anymore. Death was just a natural part of life.

And if she had to kill to get what she wanted then that's exactly what she'd do. She'd done it many times before. She was what she was after all, and there wasn't much a vampire feared being at the top of the food chain and all.

That wasn't to say there weren't dangers out there because there were, other vampires to start with. Movies and books would have you believe vampires lived in groups or covens, while that was sometimes true, more often than not fighting broke out among them. In the end, if you lacked the power to lead or the will to follow orders, as a vampire you wandered alone for the most part.

The older the vampire the less likely they were to tolerate the squabbling and infighting.

But covens did serve a valuable purpose, especially to newborns. They were rules to follow as a vampire after all, if you were so inclined that was.

Bella didn't enjoy being told what to do, not as a human and even less so after her rebirth.

She was no one's pet and she would have no master.

A breaking in the tree line sent her running across meadows, the moonlight guiding her way although even in pitch darkness her eye sight would have been perfect.

_Not much further._

It had been a long time since she had last been in this part of the world, but she knew each step was bringing her closer and closer to the one thing she had searched so long for.

A second chance.

A chance to make things right, the way they should have been from the start.

As a human she recalled that she'd always been told that everyone deserved a second chance, that mistakes could be forgiven, and those involved could put the matter behind them and move forward.

But not everyone got a second chance, sometimes it just wasn't possible, sometimes there just wasn't enough time. The damage was sometimes just too great to be overcome with an apology.

And sometimes, you had to fight with ever fibre of your being and put everything on the line for that one chance that it would all work out the way it was supposed to be.

The way it should have been.

When the landscape changed from the flat fields to the rough wooded hills, Bella knew she was almost there. Another deep breath brought not only the salt air from the sea, but the smell of wet dogs. She would be passing close to the werewolves. But instead of her usual anger, she found a smile curving her lips upwards as she pushed herself that little bit harder, making a split second decision to cross over the boarder line she knew existed.

Just because she could.

And because if her journey was all for nothing, an evening fighting a few mutts might suppress her desire to kill everything that lived in the surrounding areas, humans included.

As she continued on her path she wondered briefly if her scent would even be picked up. She wasn't sure but she didn't think there were that many wolves around, and if she was on time then there wouldn't be.

But if she was wrong, and she was too late, then she'd return to look for every last one of them.

She pushed that thought away as her speed slowed unconsciously as she emerged onto a road she knew very well, having travelled it many times in her human life.

She paused and stood in the middle of the empty road. This was it, in the matter of minutes she'd have her answer. She considered taking a deep breath which would bring its own answers, but she held back, she needed to see it with her own eyes.

Carefully she walked along the road, eyes scanning all around her for signs of life. Or unlife.

Nothing.

And then the road split in front of her, and after a moments hesitation she followed the side road up into the dense woods. Along the curve of trees and shrubs she continued, her chest rising rapidly in a unconscious show of nerves that lasted until she became aware of it and stopped it. She no longer had the need for oxygen anymore, and if she could have blushed in embarrassment she would have. It was silly to show signs of her human past, there was no need for it and it served no purpose.

If she arrived too late, then she'd deal with it, but if she wasn't then...

Suddenly there it was.

"The house is still here." Bella whispered quietly. "They're still here." Her eyes widened to take in every detail and she took a deep lung full of air. _Vampires. _She could smell them easily the scent emanated mostly from the house but there was even a faint trace leading back along the road and off into the trees. _Gone hunting I bet._

What she couldn't do, which saddened her greatly, was distinguish the individual scents. She had no idea who she was detecting as she'd never been a vampire in the presence of these particular vampires before.

But she had time to learn now. She had time to do a great many things she'd never had the opportunity to do until this moment.

With that happy thought she raced to the front door and rang the bell. She used her supernatural hearing to discern there were at least two people inside the building.

She grinned. _This should be fun._ If the Cullen's were here that meant she was about to give one of them the fright of their lives. She chuckled suddenly wishing there were more of them in the house.

She heard the approaching footsteps and bounced on her toes as she waited impatiently for the door to be opened.

Then the door swung and a face appeared. "Yes?"

_Jasper!_

Without a seconds thought Bella launched herself at him, giving the other vampire no time to register that he'd just opened the door to a vampire that looked entirely like Bella Swan.

"Ooh" He exclaimed as he was knocked onto the floor several feet away from the doorway and found himself with an armful of another vampire. _It's not possible. _He'd got a clear look at her face but it couldn't be. "Bella?" He asked fearfully.

Bella grinned as she looked down at confused eyes. _Silly boy. _"Who else?" She asked with a laugh the reverberated around the entire ground floor.

"Um," Now he was really confused. It looked like Bella, but how could it really be Bella. "But, you're a vampire." He said stating the obvious as she still hovered in place above him.

"Yeah, pretty cool huh?" She replied cheekily just to see how he'd react. "It suits me don't you think?" She asked lifting an eyebrow.

"Um, sure!" He spluttered out only to be greeted with more laughter. He frowned regaining some of his composure finally. "But you weren't. A vampire, I mean. Earlier, you were still...how did? When did this happen? Who did this to you?" He ground out getting angrier with each passing second as the stark realisation of what Bella was became clearer to him.

Bella sat up straddling his hips and looked at him fondly. "Jasper." She whispered, reaching down and stroking his face gently as she became aware of him unique scent. She smoothed away the frown marring his face and stared at him. Her last memory of him resurfaced and she fought hard not to whimper as her eyes closed at the images. She didn't want to remember her last interaction with him as she'd been angry at his attempt to control her emotions. She'd shouted at him, accused him of interfering in something that was none of his business.

She'd regretted that later, when the chance to apologise had been taken from her.

Things would be different now.

They had to be.

"Bella?" Jasper shifted to rest on his elbows as he felt the wave of emotions coming from his dear friend. Whatever had happened to her could be dealt with later, right now he wanted her to fell better.

Bella smiled and tilted her head as she felt Jasper using his gift on her in an attempt to settle her distress. He was such a good vampire, such a good friend. She let the effects of her memories be washed away with his powers, she had no need for them right now anyway.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Thank you."

Still concerned Jasper nodded back at her. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Just as she was about to reply a new scent reached them and Bella grinned. "Never better." She told him as she pressed her hands against his chest and pushed herself to her feet and raced towards the staircase where a stunned Alice was looking on.

Jasper chuckled as his wife was greeted with the same enthusiasm as he had been moments before. He was sure he'd probably looked just as shocked as well.

"Alice!" Bella screamed as she swung the girl around before drawing her into a tight hug.

Alice blinked. "Bella?" She asked in bewilderment. A chuckle reached her ears from the bottom of the staircase but she ignore Jasper. Bella was in her arms, and not only that, she was a vampire.

How could her visions not warned her of this?

She blinked again and really looked at Bella. "And what happened to your clothes?" She asked automatically as she took in the rips and tears disapprovingly.

Bella laughed out loud. "Still the same old Alice." She said affectionately with a shake of her head.

"And you're...not, the same old Bella, I'm pretty sure she was still a human a few hours ago." Alice hit back, not understanding how this could have happened. She was angry that Bella had been turned without her knowledge. And how was it possible for Bella to have awoken so soon. She'd never heard of such a thing, but perhaps Carlisle knew more than she did of the process. He had after all performed it more than she had, being that she'd never turned anyone.

She frowned as she wondered if this had been planned and intentionally kept from her.

Bella sighed happily, Alice was clearly annoyed but she'd expected the others to have a few problems with her condition, at least until all was explained. And that would have to wait until everyone was back.

"True Alice, the last time we saw each other I was human." She replied.

Alice nodded, and then her bottom lip extended as her feelings turned from anger to genuine hurt. "I wanted to be there for you when the time came."

"Alice." Bella gasped and pulled the smaller vampire into her arms again, her eyes searching and pleading with Jasper as she felt Alice begin to sob against her. Vampires couldn't cry, but that didn't mean they didn't experience sorrow or pain. "I'm sorry." She whispered and held on tighter as Jasper made his way up the stairs towards them.

Jasper gathered Alice into his own arms and cradled her as he tried to sooth away her upset at missing Bella's change. He was sure it was all a misunderstanding. Bella would have never set out to hurt anyone least of all Alice. The distraught look in the other girls eyes only proved his belief.

"Shh, it okay sweetheart." He murmured to her softly as Bella stroked her back, offering her own attempt to calm her friend.

Alice was feeling better, and bashfully turned her head to eye Bella embarrassed that she was acting so childishly. She smiled and was about to apologise when the sound of a car pulling into the drive way caught all of their attentions.

Bella closed her eyes and concentrated, using all of her senses to let her guide her next move. Her eyes snapped open, her expression hardening as laughter drifted towards them. She looked Alice and Jasper dead in the eye and ordered, "Not a word to anyone." And with that she raced further up the stairs and out of sight of the new arrivals.

Alice glanced at Jasper who still had her wrapped in his arms. He shrugged at her not knowing what that was all about either.

Just then Carlisle and Esme entered through the already open door, still sharing a laugh with each other. Carlisle had his hand at his wife's waist as he guided her into their home. He eyed the open door and sent an appraising look around the interior wondering if something was amiss.

"Alice, Jasper, you should have joined us." Esme said as she noticed her children standing on the steps.

Jasper moved to hold Alice's hand and started down the stairs with her to greet their parents properly. He smiled at Esme apologetically. "I'm sorry, we had other plans."

"Next time, then." Esme replied easily. Spending time with her family made her happy.

"Agreed." Jasper said with a nod although Alice was yet to speak up.

Which didn't go unnoticed by Esme either. "You seem quiet tonight Alice, is everything okay?" She asked looking at Carlisle to see if he agreed with her need to be worried but her husband had a puzzled look on his face as he searched their home with his eyes.

Jasper tried to smile as he pulled Alice down to sit beside him on the couch. "She's just a bit tired." He covered, sending a quick glare at his wife as Esme nodded and looked away from them.

Something was different, he couldn't quite place it, but there was definitely something that niggled at Carlisle as he'd entered their house.

A noise from behind him pulled him out of his thoughts. He'd figure it out eventually anyway.

"Bella!" Alice shouted as she leapt to her feet with Jasper following just as shocked looking.

Bella grinned at the pair. "Hey, you really should have come tonight, you would have loved it!"

Alice looked at Jasper but he could only shrug back at her. So she looked back at Bella who was grinning at her as she hung onto the arm of her brother Edward. For all intents and purposes they looked very much like the happy couple who'd just enjoyed a night out together, even if it had been with Edwards parents.

But there was just one problem in all of this.

Well, more than one actually, but Alice was thinking of the glaringly obvious one.

The fact that _this_ Bella was apparently still very much human.

"Huh."

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**AN/**

Well that's the first chapter. All will be explained, I hope anyway. But I am just going with my own ideas, some of you might enjoy the ride I'm sure :D others, well...

But I'd like to point out that I'm terrible at updating, so be warned.

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Bella looked over at Alice wondering why she was staring at her so strangely. It almost looked as if her friend was in some kind of trance. _Maybe she's having a vision. _Bella considered before looking to Edward, but he too was watching his sister closely.

Stepping away from him Bella moved forward but just as she got within reach of Alice she seemed to shake herself back into awareness. "Are you okay Alice?"

Alice blinked, her eyes briefly flitting to Edward, hoping he wouldn't mention the images of Bella asleep, alone in her room, or the one of the two of them shopping at the mall together, that she'd just experienced. Luckily he merely raised an eyebrow at her and kept quiet.

"Alice?" Bella repeated, this time touching the vampire lightly on the arm. She was worried something was wrong, but then she relaxed as the petite girl smiled at her.

"I'm sorry Bella, I'm fine, was the play very good?" She asked hoping to distract Bella as much as Edward. She was desperately trying to think of what to do, but with her brother's ability to read her thoughts she couldn't allow him to know what had happened moments before his arrival.

What she did understand was that no matter how much she concentrated on seeing into Bella's future, all she saw was the girl in front of her.

As Bella and Esme recounted their evening out to a small theatre in Port Angeles, Alice glanced to her husband. Jasper had a pained look on his face that he tried to cover as best he could, it was a look all too familiar when he was in Bella's presence. Alice often wondered whether it was guilt over his actions on her birthday or if he still had trouble dealing with being so close to a human, even if that human was Bella.

Jasper caught Alice looking over at him and he offered her a smile. He knew to watch over his thoughts while around Edward but he couldn't help worry about what was going on and what it would mean for his family. They had after all only just recently returned to life in Forks, leaving again would cause...

"Leave?" Edward said aloud with a frown having caught that particular thought coming from Jasper.

This brought an end to the conversation going on about costume designs and beautifully produced sets that Bella and Esme were engaged in as they recounted their night out to Alice.

Jasper noted all the attention was now firmly placed on him as the others waited for an explanation to Edwards comment. He smiled calmly at his family before responding to the questioning look his brother was sending him by turning to Bella with an apologetic sigh. "Sorry to interrupt, but perhaps it would be best if I joined the others for the remainder of the night." He told them.

Bella didn't understand at first, and then she realised that Rosalie and Emmett weren't home. "Oh." _They must be out hunting...and Jasper wants to go...because of me. _That thought disappointed her as it once again showed the differences there was between her and this family she adored.

"We can catch up in the morning if you would like Bella." Jasper said feeling the sadness she was experiencing at the thought of causing his departure.

"Of course." Bella replied trying to smile as Edward came to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Jasper nodded at her. "Have a nice evening." And then he moved off towards the stairs.

Esme watched her son leave and was pained to know he still had so much trouble being close to Bella, she had really thought he'd been doing better these last few weeks. _Perhaps after he has fed he will be okay. _Which reminded her. "I promised someone hot chocolate!" She said excitedly as she went over to Bella and ushered her into the kitchen. Bella chuckled as she was led away, it was nice to have Esme so concerned with her human needs, even if she did sometimes overdo it. But when it came to hot chocolate being offered to her, who was she to turn it down?

Alice once again felt Edward turn his attentions to her thoughts, and while usually she accepted his constant intrusion, right now it was the last thing she needed.

She ignored her brother and spared a moment to inform Carlisle that she was going to see if Jasper needed company.

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Jasper entered his room and tilted his head as he watched this Bella lounging on the bed reading one of his books. She didn't acknowledge him, simply continued on with her reading. Silently he moved to the side of the large room he shared with his wife and turned on his CD player, the sounds of a trumpet began to float around the room followed by the recognisable voice of Louis Armstrong.

"Good book?" Jasper questioned softly knowing between his whisper and the music that no one else in the house would have heard him unless they were in the same room.

"Hm." Bella grunted, she wasn't normally one for war books but it was either that or one of Alice's many, many fashion magazines. She went with the less painful choice. "It's not bad." She replied, keeping her voice just as quiet. She could still smell the human downstairs. But she could also smell more vampires, and by the voices she'd heard she knew Esme and Carlisle had returned home, along with Edward. She was less pleased with his arrival but she very much would have liked to have gone down and greeted the other two.

That would have to wait however, at least until there was one less human around.

Jasper snorted from his position leaning against the wall on the other side of the room next to the door. Bella hadn't even looked up from the page she was reading, the Bella he knew had better manners than that.

Just then Bella placed the book down and stared over at him. He frowned as he noted her gaze wasn't on him at all but on the door, which began to open.

Bella sat up as Alice closed the door behind her. "Hey." She greeted the other vampire but Alice just walked straight over to her and glared down at her.

"Who are you?" Alice asked.

It was Bella's turn to frown as she stood up. "Who do you think I am?" She asked, still keeping her voice lowered.

Alice felt Jasper trying to calm her anger but she refused to back down, she'd looked into Bella's future and all she'd seen was the human Bella which left her wondering who exactly was standing in front of her.

Her scent was similar to Bella but it just wasn't possible. "Bella is down stairs, and still human, so who exactly are you?" She demanded.

Bella couldn't help keep a grin from crossing her features. "You're asking the wrong question."

Alice lifted her lip and flashed her teeth at the other vampire, she wasn't in the mood for games.

Bella let a laugh slip past her lips, charmed by Alice's posturing, but a moment later she found herself being slammed into the far wall of the room, plaster crumbling to the floor from the impact as Alice held her tightly in place. "Who or what, are you?" Alice asked again as Jasper stood closely behind her.

Again Bella smiled, completely unconcerned by the anger being directed at her.

"I looked for you and all I saw was Edwards Bella, alive and well, so before I drag you down there to be introduced to the rest of my family I'll ask you again, who are you?" Alice said.

Bella did her best not to snap her teeth at Alice for her comment about Bella belonging to Edward. She really didn't want to have to explain everything with a human Bella in the room, that would definitely do the situation no good at all.

Bella closed her eyes and let the fact that she was here, in the home of the Cullen's calm her down, even if two of them were angry with her just now, being here meant it was all worth it.

She opened her eyes again and stared into the eyes so close to her own. "You rely too much on your power Alice, you always have." She told her in a gentle scold. "Look at me, do you think I'm here to cause you trouble, is there anything about me that tells you that you should be afraid?" Bella asked, still allowing Alice to keep her in place.

Bella let out a sigh as Alice refused to loosen her grip. "I'm not here to hurt any of you," Well that wasn't strictly true, but Bella knew better that to give all her secrets away. "I can leave and return later if it would make you feel more comfortable." She offered. As much as she didn't want Alice to accept, Bella had worked out the date and was satisfied she could hold off for another few days, maybe even as much as a week or two, without risk to her reason for being here.

"You'd just leave?" Jasper asked still standing just behind Alice. He could feel a solid anger inside Bella but he could also feel just how happy she was to be here with them.

Bella nodded at him, she wouldn't go very far because she couldn't take that chance, but she'd let the family have some time to talk over her arrival.

Alice frowned and eased back, letting Bella back down onto her feet. She still didn't understand what was going on, but she didn't sense that they were in any danger from the other vampire, she just hated that her visions had given her nothing to go on.

Bella automatically set about readjusting her clothes once Alice had released her before she shook her head at the pointlessness of her actions. "Bit of a lost cause." She mumbled to herself as she finally took in how damaged her clothes were from her travels to get here. She looked at the pair with a shrug. "So," She asked them, "What's it to be? I can take off or I can hang out up here until the human leaves, your choice."

Jasper rubbed his forehead. The idea that Bella had been changed into one of them had been such a relief once he had gotten past the shock, he hated that he couldn't be trusted around Bella because of how appealing her blood was. Now? He didn't want to return downstairs if Bella remained in the house, maybe his excuse of needing to go hunting hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

"Bella sometimes stays over." He informed the vampire.

Bella grinned and shrugged back at him. "So? Alice could simply go down and tell the others she had a vision of a visitor arriving soon and it would be best if she went off home."

"That's not a bad idea." Jasper replied clearly impressed.

Bella winked at Alice as Jasper started to pace the room.

Alice rolled her eyes, annoyed that the other girl didn't seem to understand just how serious this was for her family.

"Edward could take Bella home and by the time he returned Emmett and Rosalie should be close to returning. That way everyone would be here to discuss this at the same time." He said to them, glancing at them to see if they agreed with his idea.

Bella just smiled leaving it to Alice to decide.

"Fine!" She bit out with a jerk of her hands into the air. Bella chuckled so too did Jasper only he stopped when his wife glared at him.

"Well, now that we have that settled, I guess now I just need to go find a human to eat."

Alice and Jasper turned to Bella in shock, eyes wide.

"I'm kidding!" Bella laughed, but she could tell Alice wasn't completely convinced. "Look," She said pointing to her eye, "No red eye, I eat a 'vegetarian' diet just like you do."

"That wasn't funny." Alice replied once she had double checked there was no red tinge to the other vampire's eyes.

"Sure it was." Bella hit back, still smiling and turned to Jasper and raised an eyebrow at him to see what he thought.

But he wasn't stupid, he'd lived with Alice long enough to know not to take sides. "No comment."

Bella coughed, "Woose." At him, she'd seen him holding back a grin as Alice looked at her eyes just to make sure.

Jasper smiled at Bella. He really was starting to like her. "Tell you what, why don't I join you, I find myself needing to hunt anyway."

Bella looked extremely pleased with the idea. "Cool!"

Alice once again found herself rolling her eyes at Bella. She wasn't sure how it was possible but she couldn't even try to stay mad at the other girl for very long.

"Aww, don't be jealous, it's not our fault you can't come out to play." Bella said to Alice as Jasper went over to the glass wall and opened one section of it for them to jump down from.

Alice folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at Bella but it had no affect at all.

"If we run into Emmett and Rose we'll bring them back with us." Jasper said leaning down and placing a kiss to his wife's cheek before dropping silently out into the darkness.

"Will we?" Bella asked Alice with a tilt of her head as she stepped past the dark headed vampire.

Alice focused on Rose for a few seconds, once again going into a trance. Then she nodded and laughed. "You just like causing trouble don't you."

Bella grinned wickedly as she readied herself to leap down after Jasper. But at the last second she looked back at Alice with a serious expression on her face. "I really am just here to help." She whispered quietly.

Alice stared back at her before nodding.

"Oh," Bella said as she positioned her toes just on the ledge, planning on showing off a little with a fancy flip on her way down. "About that," She continued jerking her chin over to the indent in the wall. "I plan on demanding a rematch later."

Alice smiled for the first time since she'd come into the room. "Is that right? Are you sure you're up to it?"

Bella showed off her teeth as she grinned widely. Just as she was about to make a smart reply, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Alice? Jasper?"

Alice glanced over hoping Carlisle remained outside the room while Bella was still in view. "Go, we'll talk later." She urged the other vampire as she began to close the glass pane back over.

"But? Wait, what if-"

Alice giggled as she closed the panel over just as the door opened. She turned to Carlisle and did her best to look innocent.

"I thought I...well," Carlisle looked around, frowning as he noticed the damage to the back wall. He raised an eyebrow but decided it was better simply not to ask. "Did Jasper get off okay?" _There's that smell again. _

Alice danced over to her father figure and laced her arm through his as she turned him back towards the door.

"Yes he did, I also asked him if he could bring Emmett and Rose back with him." She explained as she angled them towards the stairs.

"Did you, any particular reason why?" He asked feeling that there must be for his daughter to have brought it up.

"Yes." Alice replied. "I just had a vision. Bella needs to be taken home now."

Carlisle took in her expression before nodding. While he didn't think the others would be pleased with sending Bella home, he took heed of Alice's suggestion. If she advised it was best for Bella to return to her own home, then that's what would happen.

"Okay. Let's tell the others then."

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Jasper did his best not to laugh as Bella pulled herself to her feet. "Well," He said neutrally, holding back a smile. "Given how you were as a human, I should have expected that."

Bella huffed as she stood up. "Oh shut up, Alice pushed me!" She defended her less than graceful plummet from his room. "Carlisle turned up at the door."

"Oh." That had him glancing upwards to see if he could spot the older vampire looking down at them.

Bella sighed and grabbed for his hand. "Come on, before anyone does see us."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Bella had never hunted with another vampire before, and never with someone she considered part of her family, so she felt a little out of her depth as she raced through the forest behind Jasper. It was perfectly natural that he led the way given how well he knew the area. She might have lived here before but she didn't know the best places for hunting, for food that is, so it made sense for her to let Jasper pick out a spot.

"Almost there." Jasper spoke and then began to slow down, just up ahead there was over a one hundred foot drop into a valley that was often the feeding area of a herd of wild deer. "Can you smell them?" He asked turning to his companion.

Bella breathed in and nodded. It wasn't the most pleasant of smells, it must have been raining earlier, the animals just smelt of wet fur and dirt, never a good combination, but beneath the smell of the earth was the smell of life and it stirred her hunger.

Jasper chuckled as he watched her screw her face up.

"Yeah, I know." He said, agreeing with her then shrugged. "But blood is blood."

Bella took another deep breath. There were a lot of them close by which made her smile. While vampires didn't need to eat daily, the fact they could live for eternity kinda meant a stable food supply was required. _Guess we're lucky not all vampires hunt the four legged kind of animal. _

They walked some more and came to the cliff edge. Bella gazed down into the valley, the herd wasn't right at the bottom but they weren't that far away. She grinned at Jasper and took a couple of steps back. "Ladies first!" And with that she ran towards the edge and leaped up into the air, spreading her arms out with her feet together and just let her weight propel her down into the valley.

Jasper shook his head, normally they came in at the bottom and closed in on the deer before they knew they were being hunted and scattered to the winds.

"Well, I guess I better get down there if I want any food without chasing it down for miles." He murmured to himself before jumping off after Bella.

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Edward frowned as Alice and Carlisle joined the others in the living area. While it was easy to read his fathers thoughts, all of which concerned him greatly, Alice was blank to him. Even when she tried to hide things from him she often sang in her head or went through her next shopping list, she was never just blank. It worried him more because he could hear Carlisle's concern of having Bella around a vampire that was to arrive tonight.

"Carlisle?" Edward asked, holding tighter to Bella's hand as she sat beside him on the couch chatting away with Esme about the play they had seen.

Carlisle smiled at his son as Alice moved over and sat next to his wife.

"It would appear that a guest will be arriving in the very near future. I'm sorry Bella, but I feel it would be best if Edward drove you home." He explained.

"Alice?" Bella asked as she paled and turned to her best friend. "It's not Victoria is it? She's not on her way back is she?" She asked quickly as she began to panic.

Alice shot out of her seat and over to Bella too quickly for Bella to see anything but a blur.

"No, Bella, it's not Victoria, I promise." Alice reassured her by taking hold of her free hand as she knelt at her feet. "The last thing I'd do if I ever see her returning to Forks is send you away from us."

Bella studied the golden eyes in front of her looking for any hint of a lie, but she couldn't find any.

Alice just waited patiently until Bella squeezed her hand. "Okay, sorry, I just..."

"I understand. I should have made it clearer that although this is an unexpected visitor, they aren't a danger, I just haven't seen enough to know if they'd be comfortable around a human." Alice told her hoping to make Bella feel better, she could hear her heart rate thundering in fear and wanted to slow it down.

"There's no need to apologise Bella." Carlisle said watching Esme also try and calm the girl down. "Your acceptance of what we are is something we cherish, but I know others of our kind, even those who feed on animals, as we do, would find this...situation...a strange one." He explained as best he could. To most vampires humans were nothing but food, to those who lived on the blood of animals, humans were still avoided as much as possible. The temptation was sometimes too great otherwise.

Alice giggled at the confusion in Bella's face.

"Vampires see humans as either food or pets – playthings to amuse themselves with." Alice added.

Bella's eyebrows hiked up. "Pets? Like dogs?" She questioned only for Alice to begin giggling again. It was an infectious sound that had Bella smiling despite the seriousness of the conversation.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "More like servants, kept to make life easier given the limitations of a vampire to mix in human society." He hoped that sounded better than the ideas Alice had given her. He could even see Edward do his best to hide his own smirk.

Carlisle sighed.

"Oh." Bella said, thinking it best not to ask Alice to explain more about what she meant. She could do that later, when it was just the two of them. "Okay, so I guess I should get going then." She said reluctantly getting to her feet. Edward still held her hand and she smiled tightly at him as he led her out of the house.

"We're still on for shopping tomorrow." Alice called out to her as she stepped down the front steps towards Edward's car.

Bella winced at the idea. Shopping with Alice was fun, until it got painful, and it got painful very quickly with the shorter girl. "Yeah, I don't know Al, maybe this visitor will stay a while. Rain check?" She asked looking back over her shoulder at the vampire.

Alice hummed and placed a finger to her forehead as Esme and Carlisle stood beside her. "Nope, sorry Bella, tomorrow looks good for lots of shopping." She said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"Great." Bella mumbled to herself knowing Alice would hear her just fine given how good a vampires hearing was. She attempted to smile as she waved at the assembled group before getting into the Volvo and closing the door.

"Bye Bella." Esme called out and watched beside Alice as Edward steered his car down the driveway.

Alice stared after her brother's car long after her parents had returned inside.

She understood Bella's lack of enthusiasm at being sent home no matter her words, but perhaps this was for the best.

She looked out towards the tree line knowing Jasper and this other version of Bella were out there somewhere. She wondered how her brother would react at coming face to face with Bella as one of them after all his protests that she was better off remaining as a human.

The thought of it made her feel uneasy, just something about the look Bella had given her just as her parents had arrived home with human Bella and Edward told her there was something dangerous coming.

And it was a danger her visions had yet to warn her about.

Alice frowned, she wasn't used to her power failing her.

"Alice?" Carlisle's voice sounded in her ears softly making her turn to face the house again. "Could you join us inside please."

She sighed and left her place on the steps, closing the front door behind her as she entered the house again. It wasn't hard to find Carlisle, he and Esme were standing at the top of the stairs waiting on her.

"Is there anything else you know about this visitor?" Esme asked her face anxious. The family had been through a lot in the last few months, it would have been nice to have nothing but Edward and Bella's upcoming wedding to concentrate on.

Alice opened her mouth as she reached them but Carlisle quickly cut in, "Let's take this into the sitting room, please." Alice nodded and together they entered the other room. Esme sat down beside her husband but Alice was too agitated to sit and instead paced towards the window staring out into the darkness yet again.

Carlisle watched her closely. "So there is more to this than what you've already told us." He stated.

"Yes." Alice turned and met the look Carlisle was giving her straight on, but she left her explanation at that.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose. Alice was a very different child to the others, but sometimes he very much appreciated the straightforwardness of his other daughter. "Would you care to explain?" He asked her finally.

Alice wished she had more answers, more information, but other than the identity of their visiting vampire she had nothing she could tell him. Only that a knot had formed in her gut that didn't seem to want to leave. "There's something coming, but I don't know what it is only that it isn't good." _Not if Bella has come to us because we need her help. _She thought remembering Bella's words as she got ready to leave with Jasper a short time ago.

"Is this visitor trouble then?" Esme asked, worried for her family.

Alice sighed and flopped down into one of the love seats beside the sofa her parents occupied. "Not... exactly." She replied her hand weaving about in the air.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Carlisle asked her sternly.

Alice didn't deliberately want to hold back what she knew but she wasn't sure how Carlisle and Esme would take the news that Bella was going to be the one paying them a visit. And seeing was believing, after all.

"It means... that you'll find our guest a surprise."

Esme tilted her head as she watched Alice carefully pick her words. "You know who it is." She said suddenly.

"Yes." Alice replied with a nod.

Carlisle counted to ten, waiting for more but Alice remained silent. "That's it? That's all you can tell us?" He said without ever raising the tone of his voice.

Alice shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Trust me," She said finally with a snort and a shake of her head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

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Jasper wiped the blood from his chin. It had come as a shock to find a deer already dead, waiting for him not far from where he had landed. Alice had on occasion caught food for him, but that was often only when he was having problems controlling his hunger around humans, never had any of his family caught food for him while hunting for their own.

"You done?" Bella asked having already finished with her 'food' as it were.

Jasper stood looking over at the carcass of Bella's meal, its stomach had been ripped open and its insides were in plain view. It caused him to raise an eyebrow.

"What?" Bella asked looking around but sensing nothing out of place.

Jasper cleared his throat. "We usually inter them afterwards." He told her.

"Okay. But what good does that do for the rest of the animals around here?" She quizzed him.

"Well, it's not really about..."

"This isn't the mass slaughter of a herd, its two animals that have had their blood drained. Why ruin a perfectly good meal for those looking to feed themselves and their young?" She asked him.

"I suppose." He replied unsure.

Bella nodded and turned to leave, they still had Emmett and Rose to find now that they were done eating.

Jasper trotted after her as they began their walk out of the valley.

He gave her a sideways glance, his mind still back on the dead deer. "But our venom is in those animals now." He told her.

Bella laughed. "And what?" She asked with a grin, "You think we're going to have little vamp critters coming after us in a few days?"

Silence.

"Okay, maybe not." He admitted with a shrug. He felt a little stupid but Carlisle had always been clear to them that they shouldn't leave any trace of their feedings.

Bella noticed he still looked stressed. "Are you that bothered leaving them there?" She asked him as she pulled him to a stop to wait for his answer.

"Honestly? Yes." He said. "Carlisle said never to leave proof of our existence, dead animals drained only for their blood could bring questions if found by hunters or the people out walking their dogs."

_Okay so he's a little whipped in his thinking but still...he's only thinking of everyone's safety at remaining undiscovered. _She got it, she did. But that didn't mean she was about to agree to going back and burying the animals even if it looked like that was what Jasper was hoping she was about to say.

"Tell you what Jazz," She said slinging her arm around his shoulders and starting to move again. "We'll come back before noon and if they're still sitting there, you can watch me dig both their graves, fair enough?" She offered knowing full well it was highly unlikely anything would still be there as the forest was full of animals looking for an easy meal at night. And the smell of those two dead animals would carry for miles around.

Jasper sighed but nodded, it sounded like a good compromise.

She smiled and smacked the back of his head. "But when we do come back and find them gone, we'll discuss your punishment." She told him only to hear him groan as he rubbed the spot she'd hit.

"Now come on we've got vamps to find and freak out!" She said with a touch of excitement before taking off at a run.

Jasper watched her go with a shake of his head. She was definitely different to the Bella he knew. As a human Bella was always self-conscious around him, knowing how uncomfortable it made him being around her. His wife may have gotten along with her very well but he'd never had more than a few tense conversations with her while staying as far from her as possible.

He wasn't like Edward, it wasn't the smell of her blood that held his attention the moment she ventured close enough for him to sense, it was just the fact that she was alive and a constant reminder of the thin line he negotiated every day of his existence not to once again become the killer he was borne to be.

He tried to see her as Edwards mate, his wife's good friend, and that helped a great deal especially now that she was to be married to his brother, but there was still a large part of him that told him she was just food waiting to be had.

"Jasper you'd better catch up quick or you'll miss all the fun." Bella's teasing voice reached him from a long way off making him smile.

He took off after her thinking it was nice, not wanting to constantly kill this Bella even if she was taking a bit of getting used to.

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**AN/**

Okay not really where I wanted to end this chapter but it'll do.

Thank you to everyone reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

Even at the distance they were from the couple, their enhanced hearing allowed them to work out exactly what Rosalie and Emmett were currently up to.

Jasper closed his eyes tightly and tried his best to lower his own ability, there were just some things he'd rather not feel in relation to his siblings. _Eww._ He looked at Bella in mild disbelief, huddled beside him behind the cover of a fallen tree, Bella was practically bouncing in place.

"What now?" He whispered although he wasn't sure he wanted to know given the level of excitement the other vampire was giving off.

Bella grinned at him and wiggled her eyebrows.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Jasper asked with a pained look.

Bella chuckled. "Don't be like that Jazz, it'll be funny." She hadn't really been sure what to do until right now, but Alice had already given away that she'd cause trouble, and while there were many, many ways to do that, one was at the forefront of her mind given the activity the couple they'd come looking for were involved in.

"For who?" Jasper murmured before peaking over the moss covered bark to make sure they still hadn't been detected.

Bella chuckled and looked back out from their cover. "So, go on." She told him.

He turned to her blankly. "Go on...what?"

She turned to him and gestured in Emmett and Rosalie's direction. "Do your thing."

"My 'thing'?" Jasper definitely wasn't liking where this was going.

Bella let out a long suffering sigh. "Your thing...emotions. We want them to stop, right?"

_Do we? _Jasper was going to kill Alice if she had seen this before letting him leave. "And just what kind of emotions do you suggest I project in their direction?" He watched her grin widen at that.

"Ah, well seeing as you asked, I do have an idea about that." Bella leaned over and whispered into his ear as she explained. "That should work right?" She asked still smiling.

Jasper's shoulders dropped. "I guess it might." He replied.

"Great!" Bella slapped him on the shoulder and turned back around waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Jasper shook his head, she was still humming with excitement. He licked his lips and finally turned his attention to the couple in the distance in front of them. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the emotions Bella wanted him to project, it was a little more strenuous to send out more than one, but it was made easier for him that they were so closely related. Once he had a strong base of emotion within himself he started to send it outward towards his intended targets.

Bella watched him carefully, she was sure he was doing as she asked, but she doubted he was as happy with the plan as she was. Without thought she reached over and placed her hand over his, feeling the spark of her own gift coming to life.

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Emmett ripped his mouth away from Rosalie's and took a few steps backwards wiping his forearm across his mouth as he eyed Rosalie who was spitting out onto the ground.

"What the fuck?!" He didn't understand what was going on, one minute they were on their way to getting down to business again only for them both to pull away at the same time.

Rosalie buttoned up her shirt, still trying to clear the taste of Emmett from her mouth. _Eww!_

Emmett's chest heaved as he waited for his wife to explain. He watched her cover up and was confused to feel relieved when normally it was always a sight that made him pout.

"What the hell is going on?" He growled, he loved Rose so why all of a sudden did he want to stay away from her.

Rosalie wiped her mouth and shuddered at the image of kissing Emmett a few moments ago.

"What do you think happened?" She snapped at Emmett.

Emmett waited but she didn't say anything else so he shrugged at her.

With a roll of her eyes Rosalie twitched her skirt back into place. "Want to have sex?" She asked him only to receive a horrified expression. "Don't I feel wanted." She muttered to herself as her eyes scanned around them. She couldn't see anyone around but given she was likely to kill them she wasn't expecting to. She turned back to Emmett feeling angry that her first reaction was to stay away from him. "Jasper messed with us." It was a struggle but she did her best to ignore the feelings that were bombarding her from Jasper.

"I'll kill him." Emmett growled, his eyes narrowing as he had something solid to focus on.

Rosalie grimaced as her body still refused to submit to her own controls over her emotions. "You do that." She replied thinking Jaspers little game had gone far enough. They obviously weren't in any danger, Alice would have seen it in a premonition, so Jasper was just trying to make trouble. _Well I can give him that. _

Emmett looked around listening for anything out of place. Then he heard it, a rustle of clothing, faint, but definitely not from an animal, his gaze snapped to his wife's.

Rosalie smiled at him and waved her hand off to the side. "Go get 'em." She said giving him the instruction he'd been waiting for. She flinched as he leaned towards her in what would have been a perfectly normal act of kissing her goodbye if it wasn't for Jaspers interference.

Emmett's eyes narrowed. He no longer felt the need to stay away from Rose but it was clear she was still having trouble. He felt his fangs extend as his anger took over. _Jasper was going to pay for this._

Rosalie sighed gratefully as Emmett took off on his chase.

xxxxxxx

Bella kept her eyes forward as she felt Jasper's stare. She knew why he was watching her, she hadn't meant to...but if she ignored him then she wouldn't be drawn into talking about it.

_Plus, _She thought with a grin as it became clear to her Jasper was too focused on her right now to be paying enough attention to what was about to happen. _Look's like my diversion's about to arrive!_

Slowly she turned her head to meet Jasper's gaze. She raised an eyebrow.

"You're still here?" She asked in surprise. She tilted her head. "If I were you I'd start running. Fast." She offered as advice.

"What?" Jasper asked, completely confused as to what she was talking about. He turned his head as a noise suddenly registered with him. Something was headed straight for them. And it was big.

His eyes widened as his mind caught on to what was going on. "Ah, sh-"

Bella tried not to laugh as Jazz sprang to his feet and raced off. But Emmett's looming arrival allowed her to keep control, instead she eased her body lower and as she expected, Emmett leapt over the log, and her, in his effort to catch his brother.

Which, to be fair to Jasper, was a full gone conclusion. No kind of head start would have been enough but Jasper was quick and agile which should enable him to fend Emmett off for maybe... what? Ten whole minutes?

If he was lucky.

Bella chuckled as she heard Jasper yelp in the distance, she doubted Emmett had him but he was probably too close for comfort right about now.

_Well, with the boys out of the way it's time for me to go do what I gotta do. Suck it up Swan, how bad could it be?_

She sighed as she got up.

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Rosalie stopped mid-step and inhaled as a warning sparked at the back of her mind. She put her foot down carefully and centred her balance not sure what the danger was or why Alice hadn't seen its arrival but there would be time to worry about that later. Right now she had a problem.

There was a vampire she didn't know very close to her location. After a seconds study of her surroundings Rosalie was confident she knew the exact whereabouts of the stranger.

"You can come out now, I know you're there." She said with assurance.

Bella smiled as she watched where Rosalie was starring. She had pride in her skills, they had been earned the hard way, but she had no wish to antagonise the other vampire any more than she already was. With a quick burst of speed she raced back some distance and then slowly made her approach from roughly the direction Rosalie had assumed was her hiding spot.

"Who are you and what are you doing on this land?" Rose demanded as she straightened once she spotted the figure coming towards her was slight and definitely female. "Are you alone?" She wasn't overly confident the stranger would answer truthfully but it never hurt to ask.

"We're always alone, Rosalie."

Rosalie frowned at the answer, there was something about it she didn't like, she'd been looking for a simple 'yes' or 'no' but no, what does she get? Riddles. _And she knows my name._ Something Rosalie really didn't like, not only had she been caught off guard but apparently the vampire in front of her wasn't as much of a stranger as she'd first thought.

Bella continued her slow pace through the forest, her head was lowered enough that her hair obscured her face, but she knew the second she looked up Rosalie would know her, if she hadn't already recognised her voice.

Becoming a vampire brought with it a vocal change as well as the physical one, but just like her scent, her voice was close enough to be almost identical.

Rosalie shifted, her fist clenching at her side. "So you know my name, care to share yours?" _And even the playing field, if we're going to be fighting I'd like to at least know who it is that wants me dead._

Bella stopped a couple of metres away from the other vampire, now it was only a matter of time before Rosalie worked it out on her own. "Seems fair," She said agreeably with her head still lowered, but as she continued, she lifted her chin and met Rosalie's eyes calmly as she awaited her reaction. "But I think you already know it."

Stunned, Rosalie couldn't believe it, but here she was, Bella Swan, standing right in front of her.

A vampire.

That was the tough part, the part she had trouble getting her head around, how could Bella be here standing right in front of her and be one of them? _She's a vampire! _Her mind seemed to be stuck on that one fact. "You're a vampire."

It wasn't a question but Bella felt the need to reply. "Yes."

"Well," Rosalie said stepping closer to Bella and eyeing her carefully. "Isn't this a surprise."

Bella would have blushed had she been able to. She was still not sure how to take Rosalie's reaction to her. "Good surprise or bad?" She had to ask. Out of every member of the Cullen family it was Rosalie that couldn't understand why she had wanted to give up life as a human.

Edward of course hadn't wanted to turn her either but his reasoning for that had been selfish so she didn't care how her presence affected him.

After a moment of absolutely silence Rosalie finally responded by saying, "I guess that'll depend on why you are here."

A smile edged onto Bella's face. Rosalie had seemed to understand almost immediately that Bella wasn't the one who had gone with Edward and her parents earlier today.

"I suppose that would be true." Bella said. "But that's a conversation best started when everyone is present."

Rosalie eyed her suspiciously for a while. "I guess we should get back to the house then."

Bella nodded in agreement but Rose didn't move. Instead she gestured for Bella to go first. _She doesn't trust me. _Not that Bella really blamed her. Now she was convinced Rosalie wouldn't take the news she had to share with the Cullen's very well at all.

Bella took off at a steady pace, there was no great rush to get back because she knew Edward was unlikely to have beaten them if he had taken the human home.

When the house was in view Bella paid close attention to the scents. _She's gone._ That made what was to follow an easier challenge. She didn't want the other her to know of her existence, it would serve no purpose to expose herself to the human, she'd have enough problems limiting the extent of what she revealed to the Cullen's as it was.

She planned on changing the course of history by changing the events that were meant to take place in a handful of days. And while some things would be a change for the better, there were changes that might never take place now.

And that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

For anyone, human or vampire.

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"Well this is...ah..." Carlisle unfolded his arms and took a few steps away from Bella, who did her best not to grin as the head of the household paced.

Alice darted over and took Bella by the hand and pulled her down to sit beside her on the couch.

Esme still looked shaken, her eyes wide and her jaw slack, but her eyes had followed Bella as she was taken to a seat and this seemed enough to draw her out of her stupor long enough to join them on the couch sitting down next to Bella on the other side.

She still looked at her as if she didn't quite understand what she was seeing.

"Surprise?" Alice offered innocently as her hand tightened on Bella's.

Rosalie snorted from her seat across from them.

"How is this possible?" Esme asked in a whisper as her hand reached out to touch Bella's hair gently.

Carlisle had stopped his pacing by now and was equalling just as focused on Bella, although he refrained from getting any closer while his mind was trying to work over the question himself. Obviously Bella would be able to explain, but her being her, now, as a vampire, when he'd not long sent Edward to take her home was its own answer.

_They aren't the same person._

That was a startling conclusion that had far reaching implications that even he wasn't sure he'd be able to understand.

_How is it even possible?_

Just then the front door opened nosily and footsteps drew closer causing everyone to turn their attention to the new arrivals.

"Oooh, family meeting, what'd I miss?" Emmett asked as he walked into the room dragging Jasper with him who he had trapped in a headlock.

Carlisle sighed from his spot.

Esme smiled at the pair, watching as Jasper struggled to break free from his brothers hold. She got up and joined her husband on the other side of the room, but not before patting Bella's hand as she stood.

Emmett chuckled and watched Jasper's attempts, not doubting his own strength for a second and knowing the only way Jasper would get free was if he let the other vampire go. And he wasn't planning on doing that until Rosalie made him.

Alice leaned closer to Bella and whispered to her. "This is what I saw earlier, Emmett teaching Jazz a lesson." She said with a grin.

Bella looked at Alice first and then concentrated on the pair in front of them.

"Not really a fair match is it?" She whispered back to Alice.

Rosalie watched on silently as she studied not only her husband and Jasper but Alice and this 'new' Bella as well. She still wasn't sure what to make of this new development, but she trusted Alice to be able to warn them if there was any potential danger in the situation.

But at the very least this was sure to scare the crap out of Edward, possible even have him running off to go 'think' about what it meant for him.

_Wonder what it will mean for the rest of us._

She frowned, there was only one person that could answer those kind of questions and she was too busy watching her husbands antics right now. "Okay, enough! Sit down the both of you." She ordered the pair.

Emmett immediately released Jasper and ignored him as he fell onto his back on the floor as he hurried over to his wife and sat down, it was only then that he noticed Bella sat next to Alice. "Huh. Guess that's why we're having a meeting." He mumbled to himself.

Rosalie shifted uncomfortable as Emmett got closer, she was still acutely aware that she didn't want him touching her right now and that only served to make her all the more angry.

"Ugh." Jasper huffed from his position on the floor. He heard the others laugh and slowly pulled himself back onto his feet. His hair was a mess, well more so than usual, but he tried to smooth it down anyway only to see Alice hide a smirk behind her hand.

He sighed.

Then he turned his attention to Bella who only smirked back at him, amused as the others were at Emmett's playful attack.

Bella held his gaze for a few seconds but he just kept looking at her, waiting. "What?" She asked as a question in his eyes called to her.

Jasper looked almost hopeful as he took a step closer and leaned over her. "It hurt, right? When I sank my teeth into your throat and drained you dry? Just...tell me it hurt."

Bella chuckled as the others gasped. She shook her head. "Sorry, but it wasn't you." She said letting him down gently.

Jasper let out a heavy sigh. Then he noticed Alice's glare. "What? I was just asking." Not strictly true, at this very moment he knew he'd feel no guilt in being told he had indeed been the one to cause Bella to be turned into one of them, and so had thought it prudent to get the question out there.

Alice glared at him and placed her hand on Bella's leg, it was a protective move that she'd done without thought. This Bella could look after herself she was sure, but it was so ingrained in her to want to protect human Bella that it would take a while to adjust to no longer needing to be on guard when Jasper was around. But Bella didn't seem to notice or care enough to mention it and pulling her hand away now would just draw more attention so she left it where it was.

"Go sit down." She ordered Jasper as her body relaxed.

Bella was still finding the entire evening amusing and caught Jasper's eye to give him a wink. "But who knows, you could just snap and attack the one around here that is still human." She offered.

Jasper grinned back at her until the collective frowns of the rest of his family registered and caused him to flinch. He also thought it best not to offer comment on his thoughts on that idea. Alice wouldn't have approved.

Carlisle pressed a finger to his temple in the way someone suffering from the pain of a migraine would. "You're not helping this situation any with comments like that Jasper." He admonished.

Rosalie snorted causing the family to turn their attention on her. Never one to shy away from the spotlight Rose shrugged at them. "Why not?" She asked them. "There's now two Bella's running around, we only need one. I vote for the one that's already a vampire."

Bella smiled a little, maybe Rosalie would be as much of a problem as she'd first thought.

"Me too." Emmett said quickly agreeing with his wife. To him at the very least this one was less likely to attract problems the way the human one did. "If we're voting then I say we keep this one."

Carlisle took a deep calming breath and tried to wrestle control of the conversation back to the matter at hand, which was why this Bella even existed in the first place. "There is not going to be any kind of vote."

Alice thought she saw a glimmer of disappointment in her sisters eyes.

"Aww." Bella said with a pout.

"See." Emmett pointed at Bella as he looked at Carlisle. "Now you've hurt her feelings."

"Speaking of feelings." Rose cut in before Carlisle could interject again. "That little...thing...in the forest, what was that?" She'd been subjected to Jasper's powers too many times over the years to count, but it had never felt quiet like that before. She shivered as a fleeting thought of kissing Emmett still made her feel repulsed. "And when will it ware off?" She asked in a harsher tone as she narrowed her eyes at Bella. She shared a room with her husband, it'd be nice to not cringe every time he got close to her.

That dropped the smile off Bella's face. "Oops?" She offered apologetically.

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**AN/ **Hey, so just for those that want to know this will be a Bellice fic, only with two Bella's it makes life a little more difficult. So things won't actually get very far (relationshipwise) for the pair until the second story.

This is the first to kinda set the path, the second ,if it ever happens ;), will be the main romance story. Which is why I've classed this fic as more of a friendship story. Just bare with me, there will be NO Bella/Edward-ness in this fic on any level, he's human Bella's boyfriend until he isn't which, well...that'll spoil the fun!

Just keep reading and I'll try to get another chapter up soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"Wait, so you're from the future?"

"What exactly _is_ your power Bella?"

"You have a power Bella?"

"Did you come back to warn us about something? Does something bad happen?"

"Bella?"

"Is that true, Bella?"

Bella waited patiently for the questions to stop and for everyone to fall silent. Alice was the only one not to have asked her anything. She turned her head to look at the shorter vampire. "Nothing to add?"

Alice shook her head.

Bella turned back to the others, while Carlisle and Esme were clearly concerned with what her arrival was about, it was Rosalie's question she chose to answer first.

"Something bad does happen, and yes, that is why I am here." She said calmly.

"So you are from the future!" Emmett grinned. "Very cool!" Then he paused and looked around at the others, his eyes widening. Rose was biting at a finger nail and she never did that. He eyed Bella again. "Not cool?" He asked cautiously, unsure why everyone else suddenly seemed nervous.

Bella spared him a smile. "Pretty cool it worked though, huh?" That got another smile out of him and Bella was happy with that. There'd be enough time to worry over what would happen it didn't need to start now, did it?

Anyway, the whole point of her trying this was to prevent things, not cause more problems.

_Well..._ If everything went well, causing a few problems to certain individuals wouldn't be so bad, especially the mutt that had caused all of this in the first place.

"What's that look for?" Alice asked quietly as she watched her friend. She'd seen a look like that on the faces of her family when they prepared for a hunt, but Bella had already fed tonight.

"Hm?" Bella asked turning back to Alice. "Oh, nothing much." Nothing she could explain right now at least, but Bella knew she would have to tell someone eventually, and who better than Alice.

Carlisle studied the image of Bella. There wasn't much difference between this vampire and the human version. That meant she was changed in the near future.

He sighed. "I'm not sure which question to ask first; how you were able to come here in the first place, or what's meant to happen that you plan to change?" His scientific mind wanted to focus on the how's but as the head of the family he needed to also know the why's. What he was seeing in front of him shouldn't have been possible, no one can travel through time, but here was proof.

And as much as he wanted to take Bella into his study and have her go over everything she knew, he didn't think that he'd get the chance to monopolise Bella's time in such a way.

"Yeah, what happens?" Emmett repeated.

Bella glanced around, every pair of eyes were now staring her way expectantly.

She didn't know what to tell them. She didn't really want to tell them any of it, and certainly not all of it.

"Bella?" Carlisle prodded as the vampire across from him remained silent.

Bella looked him in the eye, before turning her eyes onto every other member of the Cullen's present in the room. They all wanted answers, and they deserved to know their lives were all in danger, but how much of the truth did they need to know.

If she was successful, her human self would never be turned the way she had, and the Cullen's would still be around.

That was all that mattered right?

Stopping one event from occurring in this timeline.

And with that change, everything after would just, hopefully, cease to be.

Bella liked that idea.

She sighed as she felt Alice tighten her hold on her hand.

She spared Alice a smile before turning back to Carlisle. "I can't tell you." She said softly, she knew it wasn't what any of them wanted to hear, but she told them anyway.

"Can't?" Rosalie asked, her voice harsh.

Bella met Rosalie's glare head on. "Won't, then."

Rosalie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest angrily.

Carlisle looked puzzled. "You came here for a reason Bella, but you won't tell us what that reason is?"

Bella cringed. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I don't think it would do anyone any good."

"Why not?" Emmett asked. "You tell us what happens and we figure out a way to stop it. Sounds simple."

Bella chuckled. If only it was that simple.

"Something funny?" Rosalie asked bitingly, not amused at Bella's unwillingness to offer any kind of information.

"No." Bella replied in a subdued tone. None of this was even remotely funny.

But telling them the truth of what was to pass if things were not changed? Was that really the answer?

Some instinct within her was telling Bella that it wasn't the right time, and she'd learned to rely on that whenever she questioned her actions. Oh, but that wasn't to say she hadn't done plenty of things that were selfish and self-serving throughout those years she'd spent searching the earth for answers.

But this wasn't just about her anymore.

She looked around at the faces in the room. They were exactly as she remembered them.

But it was so very strange to her to be sitting where she was sitting and have them look at her as if she was the human they knew. She hadn't been human in a very, very long time.

The truth of what she'd become would forever change the way they looked at her, maybe even the way they looked at the human too.

And she wouldn't allow that.

She released Alice's hand and got to her feet. "Perhaps it would be best for me to leave." She felt more than saw Alice leap to her feet at that. She touched her friend on the arm, stopping whatever she was about to say before she could speak. "I'm not going far and I will return later tomorrow. Promise." She added as the dark haired vampire pouted at her.

She really had missed Alice, almost enough to stick around a while longer, but giving the Cullen's space and time alone to discuss freely what they thought seemed like the right thing to do.

There wasn't much she could offer them and she needed their help if she hoped to change anything that had happened to her.

To them.

Esme looked at her husband and pleaded with her eyes, hoping there was some way Carlisle could change Bella's mind and get her to stay.

Carlisle nodded at his wife. He didn't want Bella leaving anymore than she did. He patted the hand he held before stepping forward closer to Bella. "Won't you reconsider? We have space here for you-"

"Yes, please stay." Esme couldn't help but say.

Bella shook her head but gave Esme a smile. "I will be fine, and it will be easier for you all to talk without me here." She said hoping Esme understood.

Esme glanced at Alice.

Alice sighed, she knew what her mother was asking but she had no visions to work with right now, so she gave Esme a shrug.

"I will be back." Bella assured Esme who reluctantly seemed to accept that she wouldn't be able to persuade into staying. Bella gave the others a smile saving Alice for last, it would be a long night for all of them, but she hoped she didn't cause too many arguments between them.

Turning to leave Bella had to pull up as she found her path blocked by Carlisle.

And he didn't look happy with her.

Carlisle frowned at Bella. He didn't understand how she could appear out of nowhere, give them some vague warning of impending doom only to take off into the night without actually giving them any proper information.

"What exactly is it my family should be discussing tonight Bella? You haven't really told us anything yet, would you care to explain what it is you've come looking for and then perhaps we will have something to say about it." He said firmly. If his family was in danger they all had a right to know.

Bella inched backwards, understanding Carlisle's anger, he was after all merely trying to protect his family from the unknown.

But that was what she was trying to do also, protect her family by not saying too much.

Bella closed her eyes. _What had she come looking for? _She wanted to feel like she belonged again, she hadn't ever really belonged anywhere, not as a human and certainly not after her change. This family were the only ones to have ever made her feel anything close to being part of something.

Returning to this time was a very selfish thing, but she would gladly spend the rest of eternity knowing she had changed the outcome for this human version of her than spend a second long on this earth.

She opened her eyes, grateful that she could no longer cry, and stared back at Carlisle.

But loving them didn't mean she wouldn't do what was best for them even if it did make them angry.

Bella glared at Carlisle. "You'll just have to trust me." She insisted.

"With what?" Carlisle asked still perplexed by the entire situation. He needed more information, without that how did Bella expect any of them to understand what she was asking or why she was asking it. Saying something bad was going to happen just wasn't enough.

"With knowing what will happen if you don't do as I say." Bella said aware that Rosalie was approaching her but keeping her eyes on Carlisle.

"You can't be serious?" Rosalie spat out as her own temper flared to life.

"Rose." Esme said trying to prevent the situation descending into a shouting match.

"No!" Rosalie cut off her mother with a raised hand, her eyes still glaring at Bella. "What you need to do is tell us what the hell you're doing here and then let _us_ decide whether or not to help you."

"Babe." Emmett called to her wanting her to back off.

"Rose you can't mean that." Alice said, not understanding her sisters anger. She shot Jasper a look to get him to try and calm the rising tension in the room, but he wasn't looking at her he was looking at Bella.

Bella's chest heaved as she began to feel herself panic. This was supposed to be easy, she'd spent so long going over in her head what needed to be changed and it was such a simple thing, why were they making it so difficult for her?

"Rosalie is right." Alice looked at Carlisle in shock. "Alice we trust your visions because we've seen the truth of them, but this? We don't know what it is we are supposed to be trusting Bella with, I'm sorry, but I think we should know the full story before we do anything else."

Alice bit her tongue to keep from arguing with her father and everyone else fell silent as well.

It seemed a line had been drawn with the Cullen's on one side and Bella on the other.

Bella glanced around frantically, she'd done the hard part, found someone with the power to send her here, to this time. Did they not understand that the truth could destroy them just by the knowing of it?

That wasn't something they could ever give back, once they knew, it would change everything.

She didn't want that.

She didn't want them to know everything she had done.

"I _won't_ tell you!" She said, her voice rising in anger as her eyes blazed at Carlisle.

Her hands clenched at her sides as her body tensed readying herself for anything.

"Show some respect for your Elders!" Edward's voice boomed from the top of the stairs.

Bella stilled, her nostrils flaring as she cursed herself for forgetting about Edward. Luckily she had her back to him so she was confident he had no idea who he was talking to, that would work for her.

Hopefully.

She set her jaw tight as she turned and met his angry stare.

Edward blinked as his mouth dropped open. "Bella?" He asked, not trusting his eyes when he knew it couldn't really be her, he'd only just dropped her off at home.

Internally Bella took some small measure of comfort in his reaction. But the vampire in front of her was no friend. "Perhaps it would serve you well to think before speaking in future child, I _am_ the Elder in this room."

Xxxxxxxxxx

**AN/**

Sorry for the wait. But this was a sucky chapter to write but now its outta the way things should be easier.

You'll just have to wait and see if that's true though!

:P

Umm, and to those that asked, this will eventually be a Bellice fic but with two Bella's around its...complicated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

Edward reeled back, stumbling against the guardrail at the top of the stairs.

_Elder?_

That was impossible, this thing couldn't be an elder, it couldn't be a vampire, not when it looked like Bella.

His Bella.

No, this had to be something else, something sinister and dangerous to come here looking as it did.

Edwards mind racked over his options, quickly trying to come up with some other explanation to explain what he was seeing. He glanced around at his family, taking snippets of their thoughts and he couldn't quite believe that they had all so easily been taken in by its story.

His jaw set tightly. He wasn't falling for it, there was no way possible for this creature to have travelled back in time. It was all some elaborate hoax.

It had to be.

He couldn't bear to look at it, not with it having the face of his love. _Shapeshifter! _That had to be what it was. His nostrils flared and he took an angry step closer to the vampire in front of him. How dare it come into his home, spend time with his family, fill their minds with some crazy story about being in danger.

Did it think they were all so gullible?

"Get out!" He spat at it as he tried to hold back the venom from gathering in his mouth.

"Edward!" Esme cried out not understanding his hostility. Yes it was a shock, but no one else had reacted so angrily, and she didn't know why Edward was taking this harder than the others.

Carlisle took a second to watch his son. While his anger was clear for all to see Carlisle thought he had noticed a quick look of fear cross his son's face when Bella had turned to face him. And that had him puzzled.

"No. I can't believe you all just fell for this, can't you see it's a trick?" Edward asked them all. He pointed at Bella who now had Alice at her side. "This thing isn't Bella, it's some kind of shapeshifter, Bella's alive at her house with Charlie, right where I left her." He explained.

Bella noticed Carlisle's eyes grow wide at Edwards idea. It made her giggle. This was too much.

"A shapeshifter?" She asked. She didn't want to have to explain herself to him, she didn't need to, frankly she didn't give a toss what Edward Cullen thought of her. But she did care about the rest of the Cullen's and if she didn't stop Edward now he might just be able to convince one or two of them into believing him.

And that would be bad.

"Do shapeshifters drink blood? Jasper was with me while I fed earlier, if that'll make you feel better, but I am exactly who I'm claiming to be." Bella insisted.

"I believe her." Alice spoke up next to her quietly. She had dealt with her own doubts but now, even without any vision of this Bella to guide her, she found herself completely convinced of everything the vampire had told her. As fanciful as it was to believe she was from the future, she didn't see a reason to not trust that time travel may one day be possible. After all it's not like it was normal that they were able to see into the future or feel and manipulate emotions, not to mention mindreading.

_Is it_ _Edward?_

Edward snorted at Alice's thoughts. "That's not the same and you know it Alice."

"That's just it, I don't and neither do you." She pointed out to him hoping it would go some way to calming her brother down. If all of this was true and Bella was from the future, and an Elder, then there was no telling just how powerful a vampire she was.

How would Edward fair if they came to blows?

Edward ground his teeth together as he listened to his sister's thoughts. It almost made him attack just to try and prove he was right and that this was all made up nonsense.

"What's not the same?" Emmett asked, not happy with Edward leaving the rest of them out of the conversation. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be happy with Bella being there or if he was meant to be helping Edward in getting her out of the house.

He hated being confused. This was Bella, a vampire Bella, what wasn't a good thing about that?

Okay so there was some kind of danger heading their way soon but again, what was wrong with that, it sure beat having to put up with hanging around a bunch of humans every day pretending to be just like them.

Edward turned his glare away from Bella just long enough to shoot his brother a hard look.

Emmett just grinned and gave him a shrug. _Dude, life around Bella Swan is just all kinds of fun._

"Can you read her mind?"

"What?" Edward asked as his attention snapped back to his father.

Carlisle lifted an eyebrow at his son. "Can you hear Bella's thoughts?" He asked again.

"Oh!" Alice grinned thinking Carlisle had come up with a great way of proving one way or the other if this truly was Bella. "Nice." And less violent too.

"Well?" Rosalie spoke up, her face anxious. "Can you?"

They all seemed to gather closer to Bella as they watched and waited on Edward to reply. Alice took Bella's hand and gave her a confident smile, she knew how she felt she didn't need Edward to know who she was. But the small vampire knew it would settle the question on whether or not Bella was telling the truth.

Edward concentrated, cutting out all the background buzz in his mind then slowly one by one blocking out each member of his family. He couldn't ever really stop hearing thoughts but he had developed a way to filter them so he could focus on just one.

But there was nothing coming from her.

He frowned, that didn't necessarily mean anything, given enough practise anyone could block him from their mind, and while he understood why his family sometimes felt the need to do so it never failed to irritate him.

"Think of something." He instructed her.

Bella looked at him wide eyed. "You mean you couldn't hear me telling you how stupid I think you're being? Bummer." She said sarcastically before covering her mouth. "Oops!"

"Now Bella." Carlisle said as he tried to ignore the sniggering going on. "There's no need for that." He said but his tone was soft and lacked any real censure and everyone knew it. He looked at Edward. "You can't hear her can you?"

"No." Edward quietly admitted.

Bella smirked at him. But she wasn't going to push things any further, she had already given this family more trouble than they deserved, it was time to give them a chance to talk about her in private. She squeezed Alice's hand before dropping it and moving to separate herself from everyone else in the room.

"Well now that that's settled, I need to get going." She said trying to ignore Alice's sad look as she told herself it was better this way. "I won't go far."

She waited just long enough for Carlisle to nod in agreement before she raced from the house and off into the woods. She had no particular destination in mind but she could waste a few hours getting herself back in touch with the area.

"Stay..." Esme started to say only to watch Bella disappear before her very eyes. "Safe." She trailed off with a sigh.

The speed Bella had left at sent a warning through Edward. If this vampire truly was Bella from the future, then she was very dangerous in her own right. He backed up, his eyes finding Carlisle's. "I'm going to check on Bella." He said before turning and heading back down the stairs and out to his car.

Carlisle sighed as he heard his son drive off, no doubt to spend the rest of the night watching over Bella as she slept at home. "Well," He said to the others. "I guess there's really nothing else to be done until morning." He reached over and clasped his wife at the elbow. "We'll see you all then." He told them before guiding Esme up towards their room.

Rosalie shook her head as she stood there before stalking off to her own room closely followed by Emmett.

Alice sighed and stared after them before turning to look at Jasper. "What do you think?" She asked him. He'd been remarkably quiet and hadn't even tried to use his powers to help defuse Edward which had surprised her.

Jasper had his hands in his trouser pockets, and a thoughtful look on his face.

"She was scared. When Carlisle challenged her, she was really scared." He explained further at Alice's questioning look.

"She was?" She hadn't looked it.

He nodded. "And just now with Edward...I didn't expect that...and I'm not sure what to make of it."

"Of what?" Alice asked. She could tell Edward hadn't believed it was Bella and she hadn't been too happy either, but what were their emotions telling Jasper?

"He's afraid of her." Jasper told her bluntly.

"Of Bella?" Alice asked not understanding how that was possible, this was the same Bella that he planned to spend the rest of forever with. The look on his face confirmed that her brother had indeed been afraid of Bella. "But why? And what about Bella?"

"I don't know, all I know is his fear was getting stronger before he left." Jasper said. "As for Bella, her emotions have been all over the place...she's very happy to be here, even when Rose was being...Rose...she seemed to enjoy that even more, but..." He frowned when he thought of how quickly that light had gone out when Bella had been confronted with Edward.

"But?"

Jasper shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I don't think it would be a good idea to leave them both in a room together." She had so much anger directed at his brother Jasper wasn't sure if he should mention it, especially given how much she had enjoyed putting Edward in his place.

They stood there silently for a long time.

"She's not wearing a wedding band."

"Hmm?" Jasper asked turning to Alice. She had spoken so softly he'd almost missed it. "That doesn't mean anything." He dismissed. "None of us do while we're in school."

Alice shook her head. These past few weeks, ever since Bella had agreed to marry Edward, she'd realised how much the human wanted to have that symbol on her hand. They'd spent hours at the malls looking at rings, there was no way that human Bella would take it off.

Jasper eyed his wife. "You don't think they ever got to the wedding."

Alice sighed, it was just a thought but it made sense to her. "The wedding's planned for the fall and Bella says something happens before that..."

"She didn't look like her purpose of being here was to make sure the wedding went ahead, not given her reaction to Edward." Jasper pointed out.

Alice had to agree.

Jasper sighed not sure he liked the way this conversation was going. "Well, I don't think we can just go along with Bella. I think Carlisle is right, we need to know what she isn't telling us."

But that wasn't going to be so easy, the vampire was very reluctant to give them any information.

Alice tried to see Bella and maybe where she was right now but all she saw was Edward pacing back and forth in Bella's bedroom and occasionally glaring out of her window.

She sighed when she came out of her vision. She shook her head at Jasper's expectant look, she hadn't been able to see anything useful.

"I'm going to go see if I can track her down." Alice said.

Jasper didn't like her chances, but instead asked, "Would you like some company?"

"Thanks, but..."

"Yeah." He answered. "Good luck and call if you do find her, okay?"

Alice smiled at him then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I will." It always made her feel good when he tried to look out for her. She danced away from him and made her way outside as he looked on.

Jasper watched her disappear. He didn't have a good feeling about any of this, but with no one else around to distract him from his concerns he headed for his own room in the hopes he could lose himself in a book while Alice was gone.

xxxxxxxx

Bella had lingered just out of sight from the Cullen's house when Edward walked out of the house. She had waited just inside the tree line waiting to see what he would do, she didn't really think he intended to follow her, but it would have been fun to watch him try. She was disappointed when he stepped into his car and drove off.

She had an idea as to where he was headed and she snorted to herself before following closely behind him, keeping herself hidden by the trees. Her thoughts were confirmed when his car pulled in close to her old house.

It really was hard to believe she had ever cared for him.

She watched until he was inside her bedroom and staring out from the window before taking off again. She would leave him to his vigil over the human. Did he really think she was in any kind of danger from her?

_No, he just wants to keep his own interests safe._

Bella let her feet carry her away from him and his human and she wasn't surprised to find herself on the border of La Push. The wolves were another issue she had to find a way to deal with. Killing them was always an option but that would create more problems for the Cullen's to deal with and they were having trouble with her enough as it was, what would that do to her plans?

_They'll still be here even after I have things with the Cullen's and the human sorted out. _She thought to appease her instincts. It had been a long time since she last had reason enough to hunt werewolves, and the one's living here right now would be of little challenge. Still, they were a problem that needed to be taken care of and killing them would be simple enough.

She sighed and deliberately crossed over the treaty line and onto their lands.

If she was found she'd start a war but she was confident enough in her skills that she would sense anyone approaching her before they realised she was there.

Besides, the beach on these grounds had the best view for watching the sun break over the horizon.

It felt nice to have the time to appreciate one of the earth's simplest pleasures again.

She kept walking until she reached the cliff top and looked down at the stretch of sand below. It was empty but given the time of night that was hardly a surprise, but you never could tell with those on the reservation. Bonfires on the beach and cookouts in summer were fairly normal from what she could remember.

Leaping down the rock face with little care Bella soon found herself landing on the wet sand. She couldn't help smiling as she breathed in the salt infused air that rolled in off the waves as they crashed against the beach.

It was almost enough of a calling to have her head in for a swim.

She'd risen from the sea as a vampire, having been tossed in like a dead rag, which was what she had been, or on the way to being at least. She remembered the pain and the fall, being surrounded by water, strangely she couldn't remember being cold, but mostly, she couldn't shake the memory of laughter that had followed her into the dark sea that night.

Bella sighed as she realised she was now hip deep in the sea. _What the hell!_ She thought before diving in and going for a swim. As the need for air wasn't a factor she could spend as long as she wanted underneath the waves. The sea had become a haven to her throughout the years, a place where she didn't have to deal with humans or worry about the sun, she could just swim and watch the various creatures of he sea do as they pleased.

A shark can detect a single drop of blood from a kilometre away, impressive, until you test that against a vampire who could smell that same drop of blood from at least three miles away.

Bella knew because she'd tested it out.

It wasn't as easy for Bella as she lacked the ability to filter the water the way sharks did, but she had the advantage that she could surface and smell the blood on the air quicker than it travelled through the water. However she could also taste the blood in the water although to be effect at pinpointing its direction she'd have to be much closer.

Bella swam for miles, deep into the darkness that would have terrified her as a human, but now, with her enhanced sight she revelled in murky depths. Being the most dangerous creature around also helped give her a willingness to explore the unknown and she had with abandon over they years, possibly to the point where she had always needed to spend time by the sea.

Big cities had never been her fondest of places but after she had come to terms with what she had become, she had preferred her own company and had only ventured into more populated areas as and when required.

But she'd been like that as a human.

Never confident in large groups, she could never really fit in with kids her age, had never really wanted to either.

She twisted suddenly in the water as she sensed something approach. A few seconds later a dolphin came into view. She laughed as she remained still while it clicked at her and swam past quickly causing her to turn so she follow it with her eyes but it turned itself and swam back to her.

Water held a magic for her, it allowed her to be weightless much as it did for anything human or animal.

Oh, she could out swim the playful dolphin but where was the fun in that?

As it made another pass Bella reached out and gripped its dorsal fin and let it drag her along with it.

They were such majestic creatures, loved by humans, but there was such a sinister side to these mammals that fascinated Bella. As a rule she tended not to feed off of any form of sea life, mainly because it would take something fairly large to satisfy her hunger and the bigger sea mammals just never appealed to her.

She'd watched as a pod of dolphins circled a distressed swimmer off the coast of Florida yet in Canada she had witnessed the murder of a baby dolphin by a group of older ones.

Like all wild animals, the dolphin possessed the ability to be exceptionally cruel and dangerous.

Not as cruel as humans but perhaps for Bella that was their saving grace. She had wanted to rip those dolphins apart for killing the baby after watching it be tossed about, it hadn't stood a chance.

But death came to everything, it was the natural order of life, there was no way to avoid it.

_Ah, but that doesn't explain me know does it, but then vampires can hardly be considered part of any natural order. _Bella thought smugly to herself as she tired of her game and released her hold on the dolphin and started swimming back towards land.

Death was a conundrum to her, there had been many times when she had thought about it but as Edward had once told her, dying as a vampire wasn't so easy to accomplish, and in the end she had always held on to the hope of one day returning home.

As she reached the shallower waters she surfaced and glanced around to get her bearings and was pleased to find she wasn't that much further from the beach she'd come here for, although as she noted the sunlight she realised she'd missed sunrise by a while.

Her feet found purchase in the sand and soon she was standing on dry land ringing the excess water from the tatters of what remained of her t-shirt. She shook her head in disgust at the thought of having to not only go shopping but hat she'd have to come up with some money also.

"Would have been nice if I could have packed for the trip but no." She groused to herself as she thought of the old witch that had helped her. She snorted as she remembered the woman smile at her as she asked if she'd prefer to go naked. _I wonder if you know it worked Selene._ Bella raised her eyes to the sky._ Thank you for your time old woman and thank you for your belief in me._

If she followed through with her plans, there was no guarantee that what she considered painful memories of her past would ever come to be, or that the friends she did make would even exist a second time around.

_The ripple effect. I only want to stop one thing from happening but doing that means everything that would have followed won't happen either._ Bella sighed as once again she was struck by how her own wants took higher precedence than anything else. She frowned and thought angrily that she didn't care what it meant. It was too late to turn back now anyway.

Not that she would, Edward was just going to have to get used to her hanging around for the time being.

That put a smile back on Bella's face.

She sighed and glanced at the sky again, realising she should probably return back to the Cullen's house and talk some more. With any luck she also be able to steal a change of clothes from Alice as well.

As she made her way off the beach Bella kept her senses alert, not wanting to run into a wolf on patrol while she was still on La Push. She paused mid-step as she detected something else, she tilted her head and scanned the area, it wasn't a wolf but she definitely felt like she was being watched.

Up on the cliff just outside the border was a figure standing there watching her.

_Ah, a welcoming party. _Bella thought with a smile of amusement as she changed direction and headed for the vampire she was sure was going to yell at he, maybe even hit her.

Her grin widened as she reached the base of the cliff and started to climb her way upwards no longer worried about anyone else being in the area to catch sight of her.

_Plus, Alice is cute when she tries to pull off angry!_

xxxxxxxxxx

**AN/**

And now I work for peanuts? Is that a step up or down from regular begging?

As for having a plot? Well, I think there is, but then I might be a drug fiend and be writing this from the point of view of having lived it!

I'm not twisting any arms you know.

To all the fairly sane readers thanks for stopping by, do come again, all food groups accepted.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

Bella tried hard not to smile as Alice thumped both hands into her chest with enough force that she had to take a step backwards to keep her balance near the cliffs edge.

"Are you CRAZY!" Alice demanded to know. "You were on La Push land, you broke the treaty, are you trying to start a war?" Alice couldn't believe what she'd seen, Bella had been swimming on land she knew was off limits to them.

Bella captured Alice's wrists before she could hit her again. "Calm down Alice, no one saw me."

"No, but they'll still be able to smell you...smell us if one of them patrols near here." Alice retorted.

Bella shrugged and let Alice go. "Big deal."

"Big deal? Bella what the hell has gotten into you?" Alice asked now even more concerned. She stepped closer and studied her friend, she wasn't sure why Bella was acting like this but being this close to the treaty line made her nervous. They had to get out of there and back to the house.

Bella frowned. "Nothing's gotten into me. I'm just not bothered about what a bunch of dogs think about what I do and where I go."

"Bella we need to go, before they notice we're here." Alice said reaching for Bella but the other vampire jerked back out of her reach. "Bella?" Alice tried to remain patient but she had no idea why her friend was being like this. What she was doing was crazy and if Edward were to find out about this... "Please, can we just go back now?" She appealed again.

Bella scowled and glanced from Alice to the land off to the side of them that was part of La Push.

"Why are you so afraid of them?" She asked genuinely not understanding why such a powerful family such as the Cullen's would so willingly bend to the whims of a group of people who would gladly hunt down every one of them even though they fed from animals and not humans.

"We can't break the treaty Bella, it's what keeps-"

"_Their_ treaty...they dictated to your family what you could and couldn't do. It's nothing more important than an agreement over hunting rights." Bella insisted. "Beyond that it's a list of threats and demands that mean nothing! What have they done that's so special? Who have they protected? Their pack stays mostly on their own land, they look out for themselves Alice. No one else."

Alice blinked. She knew they patrolled their own lands, she and her family did something similar to keep track of any danger in the area, but Bella was right...neither them or the dogs really went out of their way to protect the humans of Forks.

The Cullen's tried their best to keep their true nature hidden. They did their best to inform vampires that travelled into the area that it would be best if they quickly moved on, but they had never really threatened another vampire, not until Bella herself was threatened.

Bella snorted at the shocked look covering Alice's face. Had the Cullen's never really given much thought to how one-sided the treaty with the dogs was? She shook her head, but this time it was at herself, she knew she wasn't being fair.

Alice blinked at Bella, the treaty was a sore point among her family, Rosalie and Emmett would both quite happily break it but that was more because of their hatred of werewolves than having a problem with the rules of the treaty.

But Bella was right about one thing, it was bias towards the wolves, they had been the one's to come up with it after all. Carlisle had simply agreed because all he had wanted was to live in peace with his family and not have to continue moving on constantly.

"We just...we...try not to make ourselves known, we just want to live." Alice spoke softly before smiling weakly at Bella. "As much as a vampire can live that is."

Bella's shoulders slumped at the defeated sound she heard coming from Alice. She hadn't meant to upset her friend. But Alice had no idea of the things that would take place if she was unsuccessful, she had no idea of the danger that lay on the other side of that treaty line.

Bella eyed the land with contempt. She hated that Carlisle could just ignore the threat living so close to his family. With great difficulty she smothered her anger down and faced Alice again.

"I'm sorry," Bella dropped her eyes to the ground, unable to look into Alice's patient gaze. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before looking up again sheepishly at her friend. "Guess I'm still good at causing your family trouble." She said attempting to joke.

Alice rolled her eyes. "So some things never change then." She retorted before grabbing Bella's hand as she glanced around nervously. "Can we please get out of here now?"

Bella felt the tight hold Alice had on her and couldn't help but mutter, "Do I have a choice?"

Alice giggled as she headed deep into the forest dragging Bella along with her. "No!"

xxxxxxxxx

Half way back to the house, just when Bella was about to make a break for the lead, Alice pulled up in the middle of her run.

"Alice?" Bella asked halting just ask quickly herself and glanced around to try and find anything that would have caused the other vampire to stop so suddenly, but there was nothing out of the ordinary, not even a deer which might have called to the other vampire if she was in need of a meal.

Frowning she stepped up to Alice and almost placed a hand on her shoulder before she noticed the look on Alice's face. She was in the midst of a vision.

Without realising that she was doing it, Bella found herself leaping onto a nearby branch and crouching close to the bole of the tree, and using the full range of her senses as she responded to the fact that Alice was at her most vulnerable right now. She closed her eyes to help her focus on the sounds reaching her, trying to pick out anything that could indicate they were being followed. _Maybe I should have stayed away from the dogs for now, there's enough danger around without inviting more problems! _She thought angrily to herself as she felt her fangs extend and her fingers dig into the tree bark. It was only when she heard the tinkling sound of laughter from below that she relaxed her body and opened her eyes.

"What were you doing up there?" Alice asked, clearly amused at seeing her friend perched up in the tree the way she was.

Bella sighed, Alice didn't seem too worried so it couldn't have been a vision of danger. That was good. Explaining what she was doing and why she was doing it was going to be a bit more problematic, with another sigh Bella hopped back down, landing beside Alice and did her best to not react to her friends teasing look.

Alice took in the wet clothes again as they started walking, although this time she led them away from her house. "You could try not to damage those rags on you any further, I'm not going to be back from shopping until late. And I doubt Rose would allow you to borrow anything of hers." Rosalie being the closest in size to Bella. "Though...I'm sure Esme could give you something to wear until I get back."

Bella sighed, but was grateful that she wouldn't be the one to personally go through the Alice shopping experience. She snorted in amusement thinking of the other her having to suffer it while not wanting to upset Alice too much by constantly complaining.

"I'll live." Bella replied with little concern, clothes really were the last of her worries. She jerked her head indicating their path ahead. "Something keeping us away from your house?"

Alice made a face. "Not a something but a someone. Edward's not happy and he's talking to Jazz and Carlisle about you." She sighed not wanting to say the next part but knew it needed to be said. "They're going to agree that you can't be trusted if you keep refusing to explain why you're really here. I'm sorry."

Bella shrugged as they kept walking side by side. "Not your fault." She said, trying to dismiss any worry the other vampire might have that she was upset with her.

Silence descended as Bella considered a new action plan. She hadn't really arrived with much of one in the first place, that was a mistake on her part, but she hadn't reacted well with the Cullen's either.

Now they were suspicious of her. She looked to her left, at the friend she'd missed a great deal over the years. _But she's not._ That thought made her smile, but it also made her wonder why Alice was treating her better than the vampire who claimed to love her. Not that she wanted Edward fawning all over her. She internally shuddered at the thought before looking at Alice again.

Alice caught the look out of the corner of her eye and lifted an eyebrow.

Bella bit her lip and stopped walking and Alice waited patiently in front of her.

"Do you trust me?" She asked softly.

Alice nodded her head. "I will admit to being more than curious as to what happens." She said before tapping the temple of her head with a finger. "Here you are as a vampire, but I don't see it...whatever it is that's going to happen, I haven't seen any of it."

"I know, but Alice, your visions are-"

Alice rolled her eyes and waved her hand about. "Subject to change on the whims of every decision a person makes." She said before pouting. She hated that part of her power.

Bella grinned at the unhappy vampire before sobering again and turning serious. "And there are some things your visions can't see past."

Alice tilted her head as a furrow appeared between her eyebrows. "Can't see past? The only things I can't see are the...wolves." She said, her eyes going wide. "This has to do with the werewolves?"

Bella gave her a grim look before confessing, "I went to Jacob...there was no way for you to see me while I was there...it wasn't your fault." She said trailing off in a whisper and glanced at her feet.

No her change hadn't been Alice's fault, she hadn't been trying to hide from Alice, she'd been running from Edward.

He was the reason for all of it.

She'd never forgive him for that, even if she managed to set things right for the human this time around, she'd still never forgive him.

Her eyes narrowed as she thought of him, right now with Carlisle and Jasper he was trying to turn them against her._ Maybe I should tell him everything? See how he takes finding out he's the reason his whole family died. _It would almost be worth it just to see his face.

But could she do that to the rest of them?

Alice gasped and stepped back. When she'd first realised Jacob had prevented her from seeing Bella was still alive after her cliff jumping adventure she'd cursed his friendship with Bella, but she'd been so relieved that Bella wasn't dead that she hadn't given it much thought, and then of course they'd had to chase after her brother to stop him from his stupid plan. "I'm sorry." She whispered, feeling responsible for not preventing Bella's changing, because if it happened on La Push land then it couldn't have been anyone from her family that had changed her. And that realisation was like a blow to her gut.

Bella reached out for Alice as the other vampire whimpered in front of her. She pulled Alice into her arms and hugged her tightly as she felt her shaking. "Hey, it wasn't your fault." She repeated softly, rocking them slightly hoping she could settle her friend down some.

Alice closed her eyes and let Bella comfort her. There weren't enough words to express how bad she felt, her visions had always allowed her to be one step ahead of any potential danger directed at her family, but she had failed Bella.

She knew she would have been crying if it were possible, instead she just sank further into Bella's arms.

Bella found herself smiling despite the circumstances as she looked down at the dark haired vampire in her arms. She sighed and nestled her face against Alice's dark locks inhaling her scent, she smelled delightful, though she was reluctant to admit that to herself and tried to brush the thought off.

Alice had always smelled nice when she'd been around her as a human, it was perfectly reasonable that as a vampire she'd still find her scent appealing to her senses. There was nothing wrong with that.

Eventually Alice lifted her head from Bella's shoulder and let a sigh escape past her lips as her emotions finally calmed. She was still upset but there was nothing she could do to prevent what had occurred to this Bella, but that didn't mean she was willing to let it happen for a second time. No matter what Edward would think of it Alice was going to do everything she could to help Bella.

She looked at Bella's golden eyes and slowly studied her face, letting her fingers drift over her feature causing Bella to smile in amusement although she made no move to stop her. The small vision she'd shared with Aro in Italy didn't do her friend justice. She was breathtaking.

The only thing stopping Alice from truly being happy for her was that her transformation into a vampire hadn't been at her or her brother's hands. That made a knot of pure rage form in the pit of her stomach. Her hand cupped the side of her friends face and rested there. "Who was it?" She asked softly not wanting to upset Bella but needing to know who it was that had dared to harm her friend.

Bella's eyes shut as her mind reacted to the question and called up a memory of those red eyes staring at her as she was held roughly at the top of another cliff. She felt a snarl almost escape as she was once again thrown over the edge as laughter rang out above her.

Alice sucked in a breath and pulled her hand away from Bella as if she'd been burned.

Bella snapped her eyes open as Alice staggered out of her hold with wide eyes and a look of horror on her face.

"Alice?" Bella asked in confusion, wanting to know what was wrong with her friend.

Alice backed away further not believing what had just happened. She'd seen it in her mind, she'd seen who had hurt Bella, it shouldn't have been possible, she didn't understand it but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that she now knew who it had been and it caused her heart to clench in pain.

It _was_ her fault, she should have seen, she should have been able to warn them.

Should have been able to protected Bella from her...from...

"Victoria."

Bella's eyes widened as she heard Alice's faint whisper. _How did she..._

She took a step closer to her friend but it was too late as Alice turned and raced off through the forest.

"Alice! Wait!"

But it was too late, Alice wasn't going to stop until she got where she was going and by the direction that was likely to be the Cullen house.

"Great."

Bella's shoulders slumped as she began walking after her friend.

"What else could go wrong?" She muttered to herself knowing her plan was pretty much blown out of the water at this point. If she had any luck left she'd at least be able to keep her own past from Cullen's.

xxxxxxxx

**AN/ **Sorry for the delay but thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

Deciding she had delayed her return to the Cullen house long enough Bella quickened her steps through the forest. She felt slightly guilty for going slow in the first place, and while she didn't look forward to facing the others she'd always hated upsetting Alice when she'd been human and now was no different. Alice just wasn't Alice without her carefree and happy nature firmly intact.

Bella had forgotten that she had the ability to feed other people's powers and that Alice could see the future. It was a potent combination. Just by touching her Alice had been able to view Bella's thoughts as if they were part of her own vision.

Bella had cursed herself once she had realised what had caused Alice to flee from her. She had also sent up a silent prayer to Selene, pleading that Alice had merely watched her memory without feeling the pain she had experienced when living it.

Bella took in a deep breath and sighed heavily as she broke the tree line and the Cullen house loomed large in front of her. But before she could get any closer she stopped dead, her head tilting to the side in confusion, something was wrong she just didn't know what. Bella took in everything around her as her eyes scanned the area, then she took an experimental sniff of the air. That was it, Alice's scent wasn't strong enough to indicate that she had hurried home after all...which made no sense to Bella.

She carefully dropped back into the cover of the trees and paced around the house looking for any sign of the Cullens. She leapt up into the trees to be on level with the first floor. She wanted to find Alice but if the small vampire really wasn't in the house then she had no intention of entering either.

It didn't take long before she spotted Edward in the study with Carlisle and Jasper, and she paused still out of sight to watch them for a moment. _Must have been what prevented Alice coming straight back here with me. _She crouched down on the branch she was on and focused her hearing to see if she could listen in as she watched Edward pace back a forth.

"_...we can't just do everything she says!"_ That voice was clearly Edwards. It was hard to listen properly due to the thickness of the glass in Carlisle's study, unlike the rest of the house there was no sliding panel in it like the one in Alice's room. So Bella concentrated harder, wanting to find out what Edward was using against her, if she could counter him she'd stand a chance convincing the others even if it meant revealing more of the truth than she was planning to.

"_I believe Edward is right Carlisle."_ This was Jasper now. And Bella wasn't sure how to feel about him agreeing with Edward, he was Alice's husband and she generally liked him a great deal, but she had seen his growing suspicion of her before she'd left them last night. _"It would be strategically probable for Bella to inform us only of those events which benefit her the most. She has her own reasons for being here...I'm not sure how much we can trust her."_ He said and Bella felt her lip curl up in reaction to a hissing sound she heard at the mention of her name. She had to concede that Jasper had a point. It was her intention to stack the decks in favour of the outcome she most wanted, but unlike Jasper she didn't see anything wrong with that.

Just then Bella heard Carlisle speak up for the first time. _"Please Edward, whatever your feelings about this, remember who we are talking about...Bella has never done anything to harm this family, in fact we are the one's that placed her in harms way...several times. I have already discussed this with Esme, we both agreed to listen to what Bella has to say-" _Now Edwards voice cut back in and he sounded angry. _"No! Jasper is right father, we shouldn't trust her!" _

Bella rolled her eyes as she took in Edward's stance with his arms crossed over his chest. She'd never understand why she had fallen for his charms in the first place, given his age as a vampire he still acted so much like a child at times. Even teenagers didn't pout as much as he did when he didn't get his way.

Hearing enough from them Bella moved on through the trees, jumping soundlessly from one to the next as she continued around the perimeter of the house. She could hear noises from the next floor and climbed up the tree she was in to take a closer look.

Once she was high enough to see into the house she wished she hadn't bothered as she witnessed a very naked Emmett thrust an equally naked Rosalie up against the window she was staring in through. _Eww! _Bella slapped her hand over her eyes as she was assaulted with the sounds of grunts and gasps. _Way, waay too much information. Ugh. _Bella quickly tried to adjust her position in the tree so she wouldn't have to see the pair once she took her hand away from her eyes. In her haste to move she miscalculated and lost her grip on the tree completely, sending her crashing to the forest floor below.

She bit her tongue to stop herself from crying out as she broke branch after branch in her descent. If the Cullen's heard her they would come out to investigate and she didn't need more problems, Alice would be hard enough to deal with once she found the other vampire. She landed with a thump and stayed still just looking up at the gray sky above while she listened carefully.

_It really is surprising I survived life as long as I did. _She thought to herself grateful once again that she'd never have to worry about her mortality as often as she had when she'd first gotten to know the Cullen's.

Remaining on her back Bella stared up at the destruction she had caused in her fall, until she thought she was safe then she scrambled back to her feet. She gave a disgusted look at her clothes as she brushed off a twig here and a leaf there.

She really did have to find something else to wear very soon. Her clothes weren't going to last much longer.

With one last look at the house, Bella turned and headed back into the woods.

It was time to find Alice and see if the smaller girl would talk to her.

Esme stepped out into the back yard and glanced around. She was positive she had heard something crashing around out here. "Must have been an animal passing near." She said to herself. It was strange though, animals instinctively feared this part of the forest so it was highly unlikely an animal big enough to have made that much noise would have ventured this close to the house.

Dismissing the thought Esme returned inside and picked up the load of washing she was carrying to the laundry room that she'd left on the stairs. But just as she reached for the basket the house phone started to ring, using her enhanced speed, Esme picked it up before the end of the first ring.

"Hello?" She asked wondering who would be calling at such an early hour. "Oh Alice dear...you're where?" She asked only to turn around and find three faces staring back at her. She raised her eyebrow at her husband and then turned her back on them again as she concentrated on her daughter. "That's perfectly okay dear, you take your time and have fun. Tell Bella to try and enjoy herself too please, and don't forget-" Esme chuckled as Alice finished her sentence for her. "Bye."

Esme placed the receiver back in the cradle and walked past Carlisle and her son's as she went back to her chores. "That was Alice," She said talking as if they hadn't heard both sides of the conversation themselves. "She's taking Bella shopping this morning as planned as it seems our friend from last night won't be returning until this afternoon." She continued to inform them.

Edward waited until his mother was out of the room before looking to his father. "What now?"

Carlisle shrugged. "We wait for her to come to us." It was all they could do, even if it wasn't the answer his son wanted.

xxxxxxx

Fresh out of the shower, Bella rubbed at her wet hair as she entered her bedroom just as Alice was closing her cell phone. She eyed it then shot her best friend a questioning look.

"Oh, just letting Esme know when our visitor will be returning." Alice explained sitting on the edge of Bella's bed.

"Hm." Bella sighed and abandoned her attempts to dry her hair as she picked up the clothes Alice had laid out on the bed for her. She rolled her eyes then set about putting them back where they belonged and finding something more suitable to wear on her own.

Alice pouted but shrugged at her failed effort to get her friend into something other than jeans and a tee. "You do know you'll have to wear a dress to get married in?" She asked.

"I am well aware of that, thank you Alice." Bella replied as she slipped into a comfortable pair of faded jeans. If she had to go through the torture of shopping with Alice she was entitled to dress in clothes she liked when she wasn't being treated like a dress up doll.

Once she was ready enough to go down stairs Bella grabbed her boots and her bag and headed for the kitchen where Charlie was pouring coffee into his travel mug.

He smiled at the pair, chuckling at the pout on his daughter's lips as she looked up at him. He kissed Bella on the cheek and headed for the door saying, "Try and bring her back in one piece Alice."

"Of course I will!" Alice replied innocently as Bella snorted beside her.

Charlie paused at half way out the front door. "I might be working late tonight Bells, but I'll call later and let you know 'kay?"

"Sure dad," Bella replied, making an effort not to call him by his name. "Have a good day." Then her eyes narrowed as he started laughing. "Don't say it." She warned as his mouth opened.

Charlie pretended to lock his lips up then raised his hand in goodbye and left for the station.

Bella sighed and shook her head as Alice giggled and hopped up onto one of the seats at the breakfast counter.

"Are you sure I can't do that for you?" Alice asked as she watched her friend, it wasn't like anything Bella was doing looked particularly difficult.

Bella grinned as she pulled the box of cereal out of the cupboard then searched for a clean glass for her juice. "It's fine Alice." She insisted as she poured her milk over the cereal and some OJ into her glass. After putting the liquids back into the fridge Bella picked up her breakfast and placed them down at the table across from Alice. "See, all done."

"Hm."

Bella forced a mouthful of cereal down, not feeling particularly hungry. "So how did last night go?" She asked hoping to sound casual. She'd woken up to Edward pacing her room a few hours ago and had received little information from him as to why he was so agitated. In the end she'd pulled the covers over her head an attempted to ignore him. If he didn't want to talk about it that was fine but she was getting tired of being told not to worry about things.

Alice's golden eyes widened at the question not sure what to say. It wasn't like she could tell Bella the truth, as open minded as the human girl was, hearing that your future self had stopped by for a visit might just be taking it a bit far.

Then Alice smiled as she considered how Bella would take the news that there was now a vampire version of her running around Forks. Somehow she thought Bella would take it a bit better than her brother had.

"What's that smile for?" Bella asked as she swallowed another mouthful.

Alice had an easy answer for her friend, one she knew would get Bella's mind off questions about last night and the mysterious visitor to the Cullen house. "Just thinking about how much fun we're going to have!" She said enthusiastically.

Bella groaned and picked up her bowl to place it in the sink for later. "Uh, if you say so." She replied not seeing how on Earth there was any way in which she would enjoy shopping with her friend.

"Ready?" Alice asked getting to her feet and practically bouncing with excitement.

Bella downed her juice then gave the kitchen the once over seeing if there was any way to delay their departure just a bit longer. Alice scowled at her causing her to shrug her shoulders and laugh nervously. "I guess."

Alice let out a long sigh and skipped over and took Bella's hand, giving it a tug. "You'd think a day out shopping would be considered fun to most human girls your age, but no, I have to be friends with the one human that acts like I'm trying to kill her by helping her dress sense improve." She grumbled.

Bella rolled her eyes and went over to the stairs and sat down as she pulled on her boots.

"I happen to like the way I dress Alice." Bella mentioned. "And besides, I already have lots of clothes you've bought me upstairs."

Alice strolled over and let her eyes slowly trace up and down her friend. "I'm positive I never had a hand in those clothes."

Bella laughed and got up. "At least not while I've been wearing them, no."

Alice groaned all the way to Bella's truck at that comment.

"Wanna drive?" Bella asked just to see her best friends reaction to the offer.

Alice snorted and settled into the passenger seat. "I'd end up killing it when it refused to go do more than fifty miles an hour."

Bella smiled and patted the dashboard affectionately. "Hey now, she didn't mean it. The big bad vampire just has no patience. I know you can do at least sixty on a good day!"

Alice shook her head as the truck groaned and spluttered into life as Bella put it into gear and got them on their way. They were headed into Port Angeles which wasn't too far away, with any luck the orange beast would give out by the time they got there and Alice could attempt to buy Bella a car built sometime in the last decade or two. That put a smile on her face again, because even if the thing did make it, she could always lend a helping hand in its demise. _And getting her a new car could be easily passed of as an early wedding gift! _Alice thought to herself. It really was about time Bella drove something better than this piece of junk considering she'd be a Cullen very soon.

"And just what are you grinning at now, or shouldn't I ask?" Bella said breaking the silence in the truck.

"Oh nothing, just looking forward to shopping." Alice said still smiling.

Bella glared at her quickly, not willing to take her eyes off the road for long, her reflexes weren't as great as vampires. "Is that seriously all you think about?"

Alice pouted. She actually didn't like shopping _all_ the time, but she did like having nice things, and when you lived forever it was easy to become bored with what you did have after a while. Plus it wasn't like money was an issue, her family was very rich and she had her own small fortune that she'd amassed with the use of her gift over the years.

Bella swallowed nervously and wondered if she'd upset her friend, she hadn't meant to but Edwards behaviour last night still had her annoyed. She sighed and bit her lip chancing another look at her friend. "Sorry Al." She apologised softly. She didn't exactly hate shopping in the first place, she actually loved spending time with the smaller girl, and it was a lot of fun watching her flit from one store to the next and seeing the way her eyes lit up when she spotted something she really liked.

It was just...she'd never really spent a lot of time worrying about the way she looked. She liked the clothes she wore, they were comfortable and part of who she was. Of course standing next to Alice she often felt out of place and even more so when Rosalie was around.

Alice studied the girl beside her as images of Victoria flashed into her mind again. Life really was too short not to enjoy the time you had. "Tell you what," She began as a smiled crept onto her face.

Bella eyed her curiously. "I'm listening."

"We'll do it your way for a change." Alice informed her, feeling pleased with herself.

Bella frowned, not sure what was going on but against her better judgement she agreed.

xxxxxx

"This isn't really what I'd call 'my way' Alice." Bella told her friend with a scowl as she was handed a pile of clothes and pushed in the direction of the changing room of the designer store.

"Just go try them on." Alice prodded her along.

Bella would have pouted but given she could barely see over the clothes in her arm she decided it wasn't worth the effort. She sighed and sped up when she spotted a shop assistant eyeing her from across the store.

Alice smirked and danced along behind Bella. The girl working the change area looked ready to refuse Bella access until Alice stepped into view and held her attention long enough that Bella slipped in without comment. Alice winked at the girl, enjoying the blush that covered the girls face then followed after her friend. As nice as the human smelled, it was nothing compared to Bella's scent.

That smell she could get lost in for days. She chuckled remembering the looks her brother often gave her when she was around Bella. He didn't like her thoughts on Bella going back as far to their attempt at running from James when he'd specifically told her to keep her thoughts to herself while she had Bella in her care.

"Alice!" Bella hissed from behind a curtain.

Alice had gotten a vision of this moment as they'd arrived at the mall and couldn't help chuckle as it played out. "Yes Bella?" She asked innocently.

Bella yanked the curtain back enough to poke her head out and glare at her best friend. "Nearly two hundred dollars for a pair of jeans?" She exclaimed in disbelief.

Alice blinked and stared back at her. "Don't you like them?" She asked slyly. "I could always pick out something else if you'd rather not have them." She offered ingeniously.

Bella spluttered at the knowing look, before accepting defeat and drawing the curtain closed again as she tried to ignore her friends laughter. "Could be worse." She muttered quietly to herself then undressed to try on some of the clothes Alice had picked out for her. If she was honest with herself there was nothing wrong with anything in the pile she'd been given but she was still adverse to spending so much money just on clothes.

"And it will be if I hear any more complaints young lady." Alice replied having heard Bella perfectly.

Bella rolled her eyes as she pulled on a black t-shirt that cost more than her monthly allowance. "Stupid vampires with their stupid hearing." She could help add just to annoy her friend.

"Stop whining and get out here already!" Alice demanded eager to see her friend in her new clothes. They may not have been the usual type of clothes she'd pestered her friend to try on during these types of trips, but Alice knew she'd look just as good, maybe even more so if Bella felt they suited her style.

"Close your eyes first." Bella said, poised to reveal the new look, one she was actually really pleased with.

"Oh, come on!"

Bella smiled as she waited for her friend to agree. "Are they closed?"

Silence.

"Fine!" Alice agreed but not without stamping her foot first, although she was careful not to use too much of her strength. "There. Closed."

Bella covered her mouth to hold in a laugh. "Are you sure?"

"Bella!"

Smirking Bella pulled back the curtain and enjoyed the stunned look that gradually grew in her friends gaze. Admittedly the outfit wasn't anything special just a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a light weight jacket, all of which were pretty dark in colour, but it was the quality and fit of the clothes that made the look perfect for her. _I guess that explains the price tags._

"You look..." Alice took in every inch of her friend finding the only fault in the boots she was still wear, they didn't quite go but as this was a clothes store that issue would have to wait. "Come all the way out here and give me a proper look at you." She insisted and for once Bella happily walked up and down the walkway for her and even did a twirl without being asked.

Alice beamed at her friend and clapped her hands in excitement. These were definitely in the 'must have' pile. "Okay now back in and try on something else." She said ushering her friend back behind the curtain they had after all just begun.

Bella gave a suffering sigh and slowly returned to the cubicle she was using. Alice closed the curtain over for her and as she started stripping again she asked, "And what was with giving my boots the evil eye? There's nothing wrong with these, they're practically brand new."

"We can't talk about foot ware later." Alice replied.

Bella frowned as she pulled on a long sleeve tee this time and then stepped out to give Alice a look at her. She kept the same jeans on but lost the jacket this time. There was no need to change the whole outfit every time.

"That works." Alice agreed as Bella held out her arms and turned for her. "Okay, next." She said holding the curtain to one side again.

Bella narrowed her eyes at her friend as she retreated back behind the curtain once more.

"Well this was fun for all of five minutes." She muttered sarcastically as she looked through the items Alice had picked out for her next change.

"Oh, stop complaining or I'll forget to feed you." Alice warned playfully.

Bella snorted as she worked her way out of the jeans to replace then with a lighter coloured pair, it wasn't totally out of character for Alice to actually forget that Bella had to eat during these marathon mall trips.

Just as she was about to make another comment on the disadvantages of shopping with a human Alice caught a familiar scent coming from inside the store. "Bella?" She called out getting a grunt in reply. "I'm just going to see if they have that jacket in a different colour. I won't be long."

"'Kay." Bella muttered knowing it wouldn't do any good to point out she like the one she had in with her just fine.

Alice stepped away from Bella and kept her eyes open wide to scan the store as she started her search. She knew the other vampire was close by, it was just a question of where. She took a walk down one aisle and then another, carefully eyeing everyone in sight.

"Looking for someone?" A voice whispered at her ear causing her to spin around.

There standing not two feet away was Bella. The non human version. "Ah, so this is where you got to." Alice said thinking of the vision she'd had of her family still waiting around at home in a few hours time when she'd gone to Bella's house.

Bella grinned. "I could say the same of you." Then she looked past Alice towards the changing area where she knew the human was. "I'm jealous. I don't ever remember you taking me here." She said giving the store the once over. It was like American Eagle only a lot more expensive.

Alice watched a pout develop which amused her a little. "Are you following us?" She asked, but the answer was pretty obvious.

Bella laughed softly then placed her finger on the tip of Alice's noise. "Just you." She replied. She watched Alice react by ducking her head and Bella bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. Sadly they weren't in a position to really talk, not with the human only a few feet away.

She sighed then eased her arms around the other vampire and hugged her close, grateful when the smaller girl held her just as tightly. "We need to talk Alice." She whispered.

Alice closed her eyes. "I know." She replied then reluctantly let go. "But not here."

Bella nodded, her hand working its way into Alice's hair and smoothing it back. "Later."

They stood there quietly just staring at each other, oblivious to the other shoppers walking around them.

"Did you really hate shopping with me?" Alice asked without thinking, it had been on her mind a lot today and just slipped out.

Bella's eyes softened considerably and her voice was sincere as she said, "I never hated spending time with you Alice."

"But?" Alice pressed knowing there was more.

Bella sighed then made a face. "I didn't always like some of the things you had me try on, but watching you having fun made it easier." She confessed. Then twirled to show off the clothes she was wearing herself. "But lucky for me I found this whole wardrobe with clothes that fit me perfectly, so no need to take me shopping."

Alice laughed having spotted the change in outfit already.

Bella's eyes twinkled at the sound, it was much nicer to her than the state Alice had been in when she'd run from her this morning. "So how's it working out so far with...me?" She asked jerking her chin at the changing area.

"It's good." Alice answered before giving the question more thought. "I think Edward may have worried her a bit last night. She didn't look like she'd slept much when I arrived this morning."

Bella didn't want to think about Edward being around her human self. "We can deal with that later, after our talk."

"Then we'll talk to the others?" Alice questioned. "About Victoria."

"I'll tell you everything you want to know." Bella agreed. "Then we'll go to the others."

Alice took a deep breath in an effort to stay calm. "Okay." But she knew that if she hadn't had any warning of Victoria's return the first time, then it was unlikely her gift would do them any good in stopping her this time.

"Don't look so worried Al, we'll sort this out, I promise." Bella insisted confidently. They had to, there wasn't any other option.

Alice gave her a nod but she didn't look entirely convinced.

"You should get back to her." Bella said not wanting to cause a scene if the human wandered out looking for Alice.

Alice sighed. "What about you?" She asked not really wanting the other vampire to go anywhere.

"Oh, I'll be watching." Bella replied with a wink at her friend. "Shopping's a lot more fun from this side of things."

Alice's eyes widened with glee. "I could shop for both of you! At the same time!"

Bella felt frightened all of a sudden.

Wasn't that what Alice was doing now anyway?

xxxxxxx

**AN/**

Okay so I'm willing to hold my hands up and admit I had no idea who Renesmee was. I've already mentioned I have not read the books and probably never will (not being an Edward fan) but I did look her up on wiki and can I say eww to the Jake thing! Creepy. Actually, I really hope that part never makes it into the movies.

So, as for Bella's power and why Alice's could see Victoria well, that be explained in the next chapter.

Questions? Comments? Anything?

Let me know and thanks for reading ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

Bella watched from a distance as Alice sat with the human in the food court.

She smirked as Alice looked around again.

Bella had made sure to avoid being in any of the stores for long at the same time as Alice and the human, but that hadn't stopped her from playing with the other vampire. She'd dart in at speed and pick out a few items to add to the ones Alice was collecting before racing out again without the human ever knowing a second vampire was around.

Alice knew of course, that was the fun part.

Just as she knew Bella was hiding somewhere close to the food court but frustratingly out of sight.

Bella giggled and ducked around the corner she was spying from as Alice's head turned her way.

Slowly she inched her head back around the corner only to come face to face with the smaller girl.

Caught.

"Hi." Alice said, her features reflecting her annoyance at her friend. "Do you know for the first time in years I've had to use the excuse of needing to use the ladies room?" She said indignant stepping closer to Bella forcing the other vampire to retreat backwards.

Bella rubbed at her nose hoping to hide her amusement.

"I thought we could shop together." Alice pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. For some reason she couldn't quite work out, she was upset that Bella had acted the way she had.

"And we did." Bella pointed out. "I chose plenty of clothes for the human to try on, and I'm sure she liked them." She added with a satisfied look.

Alice sighed. In fairness she understood that having both of them in the same store at the same time wouldn't have worked for long, there was too much of a risk. But Alice would have been more than capable of helping Bella in one store while the vampire in front of her tried on clothes in another part of the mall.

Vampire speed was useful like that.

Bella gave her friend a hopeful look wanting to be forgiven. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you later I promise." She said then glanced over the smaller vampire's shoulder. "You should get back to her."

"Fine." Alice said giving Bella a long look. "But I'm holding you to that."

"Fine." Bella replied in the same tone Alice had used, then darted forward to press her lips to Alice's cheek. "Can't wait." She added with a wide grin as she took in the stunned look on the other girls face. She held back a laugh and watched a range of emotions flit across Alice's face before she giggled softly. Bella sighed grateful that she hadn't upset the smaller girl.

Alice did her best to scowl at her friend as she poked her shoulder with her finger. "This isn't over." She threatened then spun around and left Bella to watch her walk at human pace back to the table she and the other Bella were using.

Bella watched them again from her hiding spot, too far for the human to see her clearly. She saw them talk but there was too much noise around for her to try and listen in on them, not that she really wanted to, her eyes grew sad as she watched them laugh together.

It was so easy to forget that she didn't belong here, seeing Alice enjoy spending time with human brought home that this wouldn't last forever. If she changed the course of time then she'd give the human the life she'd always dreamed of.

But there wasn't room in that dream for two Bella's.

Bella felt her chest tighten painfully and she leant heavily against the wall at her back, her head tilting up and her eyes closing as if to hold back tears.

_It's the right thing to do._

It was a small comfort, but to know that the human would be happy with the Cullen's was enough to push thoughts of her own future away for now.

Feeling eyes on her, Bella opened her own, she was in no mood to deal with humans and their stupid questions and concerns. She gave the two males staring at her a glare. "Fuck off!" She spat at them enjoying seeing them jump slightly as she walked past them and away from the food court. She would leave Alice with the human for now.

xxxxxx

Alice scanned the trees around the road as Bella drove them home looking for her own private stalker. She hadn't spoken to the vampire after their conversation near the food court, but she'd often felt her presence close by and now was no different.

The older vampire was out there, somewhere hidden from view, racing along with them back to Forks.

"What are you smiling at?" Bella asked looking quickly at her friend.

Alice grinned even more. "Nothing."

Bella snorted. She was actually surprised by how much she'd enjoyed shopping with the vampire, normally she hated it but this time she hadn't minded it. "I had fun today, so thanks for dragging me along."

"You are more than welcome Bella. I do love to shop."

"No. Really?" Bella laughed.

They'd be in Forks soon and it got Bella thinking about Edward once more. She was nervous about talking to Alice about her brother mainly because she knew Edward had the ability to read his sister's mind. She wasn't sure how he'd take being talked about even by her.

She wasn't too sure what that said about their relationship but she figured it wasn't a great sign. She bit her lip and tried to remember what it had felt like to fall in love with Edward. She'd pictured them as a twisted version of Romeo and Juliet, if only he could overcome his desire for her blood then they'd be together forever.

He still wanted her blood, she could see it in his eyes sometimes. But they were to be married soon, and with that he had agreed to change her.

So why didn't she feel like she had everything she ever wanted?

She swallowed as she recalled the moment he left her in that forest, having deliberately broken her heart. That was wrong, he hadn't just broken her heart he'd broken _her_, and on purpose. He'd known exactly what to say and what to do, and he'd left her with nothing to hold on to.

Maybe she was still broken and just hadn't put all the pieces back together yet. And that was why she still felt nervous around Edward.

_Yeah, that might be it. It's not been that long since Italy._

She glanced at her passenger who was humming a soft tune as she stared out at the trees. She sighed and turned back to concentrate on the drive home. She sometimes wondered how Alice would have explained her return to Charlie had she really died jumping from that cliff. But given what a mess her father would have been in had she died, Alice's arrival probably wouldn't have been given much thought.

_At least she would have been there for him, unlike the rest of them._

She glanced at her friend again quickly, her brows drawn together. How could Alice care so much for her father's feelings, a man she knew Bella considered a virtual stranger in her life until her return to Forks while Edward had seemed to take pleasure in abandoning her?

Alice was drawn back to Bella and away from her attempt to spot their shadow in the woods by the sound of Bella's fingers tapping against the steering wheel, it was a nervous habit Bella had when she was anxious or worried about something.

Alice sat patiently but as the tapping got more pronounced the closer they got to Bella's home she gave up waiting for Bella to start.

"Something bothering you Bella? Edward perhaps?" She asked not bothering to beat around the bush. She was perfectly aware that her brother had done or said something last night that had obviously upset the human, she just wasn't sure if there was something she could offer by way of helping her friend. Talking to Edward did little good when you tried pointing out his faults, and if pressed to much he could become violent or the polar opposite where he closed himself off from everyone around him.

"What?" Bella's eyes widened as she turned to Alice. "No! No, nothing's wrong." She said turning back to face the road with a shake of her head.

Alice frowned. She'd been expecting Bella to just open up and tell her what was wrong, she hadn't expected the girl to panic the way she was, her heart thundering loudly in her over sensitive ears. She reached over and placed her hand over Bella's on the steering wheel. "Calm down or pull over." She instructed, concerned that their speed had increased significantly.

"Sorry." Bella muttered relaxing her foot off the gas pedal and slowing the jeep down.

"Better." Alice said taking her hand away after squeezing Bella's. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

Bella drove silently onto the main road through Forks. She'd be home in ten minutes at the most given the lack of traffic.

But as she pulled up outside her house she still hadn't been able to think of what to say to Alice.

She put the brake on and turned off the engine but she didn't make a move to get out. She just stared out the windscreen at nothing. How could she explain to Alice what was wrong when she still hadn't completely worked the answer out for herself yet?

"When you're ready to talk Bella I'll be here." Alice told her friend softly not wanting to force the issue.

Bella shrugged. "I know. I just...don't know what to say." She confessed shifting to look at her friend.

Alice smiled at her. "That's okay. I'm not going anywhere." She added, making it clear the offer would remain open.

The tension relaxed in the cab as Bella nodded her thanks. "Come on, you can help me carry all this stuff up to my room."

Alice chuckled and using her vampire speed to its fullest raced all the bags up to Bella's room and came to a skidding halt in front of the human just as she was closing the door of the jeep.

"Done." She grinned at Bella who looked from the empty truck bed to her house and then back at Alice with her mouth open. Alice had never done anything like that before for her, not outside her own home where it was safe.

"Umm, thanks." Bella said before laughing. "You didn't put them away for me too did you?"

"No, sorry. Had to leave you with something to do this afternoon." Alice replied.

Bella blinked then smiled at her friend. They'd had such a good time she'd forgotten Alice would be going home to see this other vampire that was visiting her family. She was disappointed she wouldn't be spending the rest of the day with Alice. "I guess so." She said trying not to sound too sad at the prospect of being on her own now that it looked like Alice was about to leave.

Bella sighed and shifted on her feet. "I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

Alice laughed and darted forward to place a kiss delicately on Bella's cheek before spinning away from her. "Of course!"

Bella watched the small vampire cross the main road opposite her house and disappear off into the trees. It was only then that her hand rose to her cheek and the spot Alice's cold lips had been pressed against only moments before.

Alice had never done that either.

xxxxxx

_What the hell was that about? _Alice questioned herself as she rested against the bark covered tree trunk with no regard to her clothes and stared back. She could still see Bella but knew to the human's eyes she was gone. She swallowed unnecessarily as she watched Bella touch her own face.

"I saw that." Alice spun around with wide eyes at the voice that whispered in her ear only to come face to face with a very amused Bella who was darting looks over her shoulder at the human girl still stood at her truck.

Bella smirked as Alice failed to produce a comeback and just stared at her with surprise. Just as she was about to tease the dark haired vampire further she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and when she glanced back at the figure by the truck she realised the human wasn't alone any longer.

Alice blinked as the expression on Bella's face changed dramatically before her eyes, what had been moments ago cheerful and open, was now hard and closed off. "Be-"

"Ssh." Bella instructed quietly before withdrawing her hand from over Alice's mouth. Her eyes still trained on the figure standing by the human girl Alice had just left.

Alice turned slowly shifting closer to Bella's body as she did so, and looked out from the trees to see Bella had now been joined by Jacob. She was shocked at his arrival as she hadn't thought he and Bella were back on speaking terms yet after she'd announced her plans to marry Edward.

"Is this not good?" Alice asked as quietly as she was able to whisper, positive the werewolf wouldn't be able to hear her.

Bella frowned watching the pair in the distance talk before Bella stormed into the house followed somewhat reluctantly by Jacob who gave the surroundings a quick glance before entering the house.

Alice sighed and relaxed but the body behind her remained just as tense as before. That worried her because the werewolf affected her ability to see into the future so she had no way of knowing if she too should be worried by the young wolfs presence.

She turned her head slightly and saw Bella studying the house intently. "Is it wrong for him to be here?" She asked in the same quiet voice.

"Hm?" Bella didn't understand the question and looked at Alice expectantly.

Alice shrugged. "Before, for you, didn't you and Jake make up? Isn't that why he's here?"

Bella sighed and turned back to watch the house. She couldn't hear their conversation any longer, for that she'd have to get closer but that wasn't something she was willing to risk. Instead she turned and walked in the opposite direction. She waited until Alice was walking beside her before picking up the conversation.

"Not really, the night of the play I stay over at your house, with you, Edward had to go...hunt. Anyway, we didn't go shopping like you just did with her and so Jacob never turned up." She said trying to think back to that time. She had heard the hatred in the wolf's voice as he questioned Edward not being around. Had Jacob tried to speak to her back then like he was doing now? Would that make a difference to the way things had turned out? She didn't really think so. "Edward was always with me so I guess Jacob stayed away...I thought it was cute at first, Charlie thought it was gentlemanly," Bella snorted at the memory. Looking back she only saw the possessiveness of it now.

"Hindsight and all that." She muttered with a shake of her head.

Alice frowned and tried to call on a vision, the way Bella talked about Edward worried her. When she got nothing she sighed and turned to her friend. "What does he do?"

Bella paused and looked at Alice. "Jacob?" She'd just told her she didn't speak with him before. Not like this.

"Edward." Alice clarified.

"Oh." Bella looked around trying to think of something to say to get her out of having that conversation but then she sighed and nodded. "I did agree to that didn't I?" She asked needlessly. She glanced around again this time thinking of somewhere more suitable to talk. She couldn't think of anywhere really, she still didn't know Forks the way Alice did and she'd rather not have this talk in the middle of a forest. Then she smiled as an idea of the perfect place came to her.

She grabbed Alice by the hand and raced off through the trees.

xxxxxx

"School?" Alice asked in disbelief. They'd only just graduated a few weeks ago, coming back here now was strange with it being closed. "Well at least we know no one else will be here." She said knowing no student in their right mind would go hang out at school during the holidays unless it was to break in and Forks just wasn't that kind of town.

Bella shrugged. "It just...fits." It was the place it all started from at any rate. The place she'd first fallen under the spell surrounding the mysterious Cullen family. "Come on." She said giving Alice a grin before racing off again to find a way inside.

Alice watched her go with a smile. She was still concerned over what Bella had to tell her but there wasn't any need to push Bella into talking straight away. She'd let the older vampire explore the place again, maybe trade a few stories and see how much they could look back and laugh about before things turned serious for them.

"Ready or not here I come!" She called out playfully hearing the echo of a laugh before she started on hunting down her quarry.

xxxxxx

**AN/**

RL is busy so I'll say sorry and hope to be forgiven but yeah, wouldn't blame you if you didn't. Can't say when I'll update again but hopefully not too long.

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

"What are you doing?" Alice asked with a laugh. She'd wandered through the school slowly following Bella's scent, trailing her from one building to the next only to find her sat in her old seat here in the school canteen. The taller vampire was sitting there with her eyes closed taking deep breath after deep breath.

Bella opened her eyes, a satisfied look on her face as she met Alice's gaze. "I can still smell them, can almost remember it too." She said with a grin as she let her eyes roam the area, and imagined it being full of noisy, boisterous teenagers, gossiping, moaning about classes and worrying about what everyone else thought of them behind their back. Then she imagined that moment, the one where the Cullen's walked in through that door and gave her a chance to be something more than the sad, lonely girl who didn't seem to belong anywhere she'd become.

Alice shook her head at her friend. "It's just school." She said glancing around at the empty room. "If you ask me it smells a lot better than it did a few weeks ago."

Bella sighed and turned her attention back to the other vampire, they were here to talk after all, not reminisce.

"Anyway, given your age I'm sure you've had to sit through more classes than the rest of us!" Alice pointed out with a grin. If Bella was older than Carlisle, as hard as that was to believe, Bella, though she looked eighteen, was at least close to four hundred years old. That was a lot of school to put up with.

Bella's eyes widened. "I never...I didn't..."

"Didn't what, Bella?" Alice asked not understanding.

Bella stared back at her friend she could see the concern in Alice's eyes growing the longer she stayed silent. Finally Bella blinked and shifted in her seat under that look. "I never went back."

It was Alice's turn to look shocked. "How could you not?" She asked, after so many years with the Cullen's Alice had no idea what she'd do if she found herself out on her own. She'd taken a break away, all of them had at various stages but it had always been with Esme and Carlisle's full understanding and backing. But the cover stories for those times were gap years or going off to 'find' themselves before deciding what to do now they'd finished high school. And they'd always stayed in touch.

Bella's eyebrows drew together as she tried not to become defensive at Alice's tone. "Why would I?" She countered.

"But...you, you had to...how else...?" Alice didn't know where to start, how on Earth did Bella survive? Did she pretend to be older then just move on again and again like they did?

Bella's nostrils flared and over the faint smell of disinfectant she could still pick it up clearly; the scent of humans. Her fangs extended barely and she ran her tongue over the tip of one, letting them grow long enough to show as she replied, "I'm a vampire Alice,"

"No! You are?" Alice cut in as she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. She didn't know why Bella was so angry all of a sudden but she wasn't happy having to be on the receiving end.

"And I've never pretended to be anything other." Bella continued, holding back a smile at Alice's attitude.

Alice sat there with her jaw clamped tight refusing to look at her friend.

Bella waited, and she waited, but Alice kept up her silent treatment.

Eventually Bella had to do something, wanting to see her friend smiling again, so at first she ducked her head trying to make eye contact but Alice wouldn't give, so Bella let out a huff and adopted the same posture, arms folded, lip out and eyes looking off to the side.

It worked. Not right away, only a twinkle in an eye to start with but soon Alice's lips twitched and not long after that she was giggling like a school girl.

Bella smiled back and accepted the slap on the arm with no complaint.

"That's not how I look!" Alice said insulted.

Bella laughed. "If you say so."

"I do." Alice said with a nod.

They sat there a while longer, both just happy that the tension had been broken.

As relieved as she was Alice wasn't sure it was a good idea to ask any more questions. But she had so many she wanted to ask and Bella was the only one that could give her the answers. She wanted to know what stupid thing her brother had done that had probably set all of this into motion, she wanted to know why Bella had gone to the reservation, the one place none of her family could go and if she hadn't tried to pass herself off as a teenage girl then how did she manage for so long all alone?

That brought up another line of questions Alice didn't want to touch, had Bella been alone the whole time until her return here or had she left someone behind to come back? And did that mean she had someone out there to return to?

Bella studied her friend wondering if she was caught in the middle of a vision but the hint of sadness in her golden eyes made Bella think it was something else. She wanted to ask but her own reluctance to be open herself held the words captive.

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder, taking in what had been referred to by the students of Forks High as the Cullen table. What was that saying again? Not all that glitters is gold. _Sparkle...glitter, it's pretty much the same thing, right?_

"Edward postponed the wedding." She said, answering one of her friends many questioning thoughts.

Alice watched, not even daring to breathe as Bella spoke quietly.

"Doesn't sound too bad does it?" Bella asked before continuing. "But he did it in front of Esme, Carlisle and Charlie." She snorted. "I had no idea he'd been planning to say that, Carlisle looked like he expected it though, and that hurt." She paused remembering how relieved her father had looked as Edwards words had sunk in. It had been bad enough being engaged when she was still in high school but Charlie had been completely against marrying so soon.

And Edward had played right into his worries, stating that they were too young right now, that in a year or two it'd be different. They weren't breaking up apparently, just pushing the wedding back. And Charlie had nodded along, agreeing with all of it.

In a year or two.

But Bella wasn't fooled and neither had Esme been, they both knew how against her turning Edward was. Bella should have never trusted him again, never taken him back.

She'd been the idiot.

She hadn't even managed to form a sentence before it was all over and Charlie was escorting Edward out with a pat on his shoulder telling him they were doing the right thing by waiting.

"I think Esme took it worse than I did." She added looking at Alice and seeing the same sympathetic look in her friends eyes now. "Edward was waiting for me in my room, I don't remember much of what he said, I know he tried to calm me down but I was so upset, I told him if he didn't leave me alone for the rest of the night I'd start telling everyone and anyone I could all about vampires and werewolves starting with Charlie." Bella ignored Alice's gasp of surprise. "As soon as I could think clearly enough I got in my truck and went to Jake. I didn't want to have to see Edward again and that was the only place I could think of to go." She explained. She hadn't been on good terms with Jacob but the minute he'd seen how upset she was none of that had mattered, he'd taken her in letting her have his room and offering to sleep on the couch. She hadn't let him get that far needing to feel that she wasn't alone she'd cried in his arms all night. After that he'd been by her side making sure no one upset her not even her dad when he turned up the following morning worried sick at finding her gone from the house.

Alice didn't know what to say, her brother could be an ass but to stop the wedding? "I am so sorry Bella." She said reaching over to place her hand on Bella's arm.

Another snort. "What's to be sorry about?" Bella asked. "The wedding was his demand for turning me into one of you but we both know he never wanted me to be changed."

Alice swallowed. Did they? Hadn't she seen for herself and image of Bella and Edward running through the forest together both of them vampires? Then what had changed?

Bella gave her friend a knowing look. "Ah, that vision of the happy future, didn't quite come true now did it?" She asked her friend. "After all Aro said it himself, Edward was never going to change me, if it wasn't for you he'd have died there knowing Aro would have killed me next rather than see me changed."

"Why?" Alice asked in a confused whisper.

Bella gave her friend a sad smile and repeated the words Edward had spoken to her. "He'd rather die than live in a world that didn't have me in it." It had sounded romantic and so full of love at the time. Bella's face sobered. "He didn't really mean me you know, he was talking about my blood, something he craved more than his own life."

"No." Alice couldn't believe it. "No." She said again. It wasn't possible for Edward to keep something like that from her...but then he hadn't had he? She'd seen a vision of it that first day, when he'd first smelled Bella in biology and his thirst had almost caused him to kill her then and there. She even had a vision of him hunting her down later that night and killing her in her own bed.

It had been her gasp and look of horror as she came out of that vision and turned accusing eyes on him that had sent him running out of Forks.

They never mentioned what she'd seen but as he could read her thoughts he knew she worried about him, then he got closer to her, became friends, saved her life, and when Bella had so easily accepted what they were Alice hadn't been afraid again. She'd had that vision of them both and when he'd introduced her she'd truly believed it wouldn't be long until Bella had become her sister.

"I got the last laugh though," Bella said trying to get her friend smiling again. "Here I am, fully fledged vampire, older than him even, and there's nothing he can do about it!" She finished off holding her arms out and grinning widely.

Alice couldn't help but chuckle. "No wonder he hated you on sight." She muttered.

Bella looked bemused. The feeling had definitely been mutual.

_Poor Jasper though, having to deal with all of those emotions, and I doubt they'll get much better in the next few days._

Just then a buzzing could be heard throughout the room and they realised it was Alice's cell phone.

"Speaking of the devil." Alice groaned as she spotted his name on her screen.

"Ears must have been burning." Bella murmured.

"Yes?" Alice said answering knowing full well Bella could hear both sides of the conversation.

"Where are you? I called Bella and she said you left ages ago. Is she with you? Do you know where she is, have you seen anything?" He asked quickly.

"Bet he wishes he could read minds over the phone." Bella said with a grin.

"Was that her? Alice is she with you? Where are you Alice? You need to come home! Now!" He ordered at the end of his rant.

Alice wanted to say she'd be back soon with Bella, and that they be having a very serious talk soon, but before she could the cell phone was in pieces on the floor. Maybe she was a bit upset still.

Bella looked at Alice's closed fist and the small bits of plastic at her friend's feet. She raised an eyebrow at the other vampire but didn't comment.

Alice sniffed, releasing the rest of the dead phone parts from her hand and standing up. "I'd rather speak to him face to face anyway."

Bella got up too guess it was time to return to the Cullen's. "Speak or hit?" She enquired as they left the school.

Alice shrugged. "Either or, sounds good right about now."

Bella grinned at her and they both raced off into the trees.

xxxxxx

**AN/** Short I know but...

And ta for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

Rosalie shook her head at her brother's pacing and refocused on the magazine she was pretending to read.

They were all sat in the living area, waiting, something vampires are expected to do much too often for Rosalie's liking, all except Jasper. He'd wandered off up stairs some time ago when Emmett had started asking her if she wanted to go hunting later tonight with him. Her husband had sat there wiggling his eyebrows about and no one needed Jasper's powers to work out what he meant.

She'd just smiled and patted his hand. As much as she didn't want to appear she was unconcerned with Alice and the vampire Bella, she was just as excited as Emmett was that they were no longer having trouble being close again.

If everything worked out, although she wasn't sure what that meant right now, Bella would have some payback owing to her for that little stunt.

Until then, she'd wait and see how this 'meeting' was going to go, if you could call it that. Personally she thought Edward and Jasper already had Bella guilty as charged and were just waiting for their chance to...

She frowned and glanced over the magazine in her hands. _Exactly what do you plan on doing to her brother dear? What, with her age and her powers, which we still don't know much about, do you think you'll be able to threaten her with, because you can't seriously be thinking of fighting her can you? _She trailed off with a derisive snort thinking how unlikely that was to happen. For one there was no way her sister would stand by and allow it, not to mention Esme, and secondly the older vampire could just leave, turn around and let them continue as they would have had she never come back to them.

She could simply leave them to make the same mistakes over again, or was it possible that when given the same circumstances and the same choices they'd somehow choose differently?

And change their own futures without Bella's help.

_Doubt it. _Rosalie thought, answering her own question without waiting to see if her brother would say anything to her. She gave him a look before dismissing him once again to stare blankly at the articles in the magazine she held.

Edward paused mid-step. "They're close." He said just as Jasper arrived in the room.

Carlisle glanced between his son's, Edward had obviously read Jasper's mind, which meant Jasper knew Alice and Bella were on their way back to the house but as he hadn't heard him receive a phone call...

"They're coming from the west, a mile or two out." Jasper informed the rest of them.

Rosalie quirked an eyebrow. Jasper had been on the roof watching for them then. For some reason she didn't quite like that, it felt wrong.

Emmett grinned knowing that distance could be travelled in seconds if running full speed.

"Stop bouncing." Rosalie muttered at her husband, she had her legs resting over Emmett's and didn't appreciate the added movement. The bouncing stopped.

Carlisle gave Esme a loving look before getting to his feet and standing with his son's to wait.

Rosalie sighed loudly at the display as Edward, Jasper and now Carlisle all stood there waiting for Bella to turn up and explain herself to them. She shook her head. She couldn't be the only one in the room thinking they were going about this all wrong, yes she wanted to know the full story just as much as everyone else but it was Bella's story to tell, and they'd already tried to force her and that hadn't worked.

She didn't want to make Bella feel unwelcome.

Edward scowled at his sister but the noise of the front door opening prevented him from admonishing Rosalie for her thoughts.

"I guess your age is catching up with you Bella." Alice said with a laugh as she blurred into the middle of the room followed very closely by Bella who didn't seem at all upset as she laughed back.

"Maybe I let you win." Bella replied before looking around the room and acknowledging the others, she spared a smile for Emmett and Esme, whose eyes she met last. "Hello again."

Esme smiled wanting to get up and wrap Bella in her arms but refrained as she could feel the tension coming from her husband and son's. "Did you have a nice day?" She asked kindly.

"Did anyone see you?" Edward cut in with a cold voice as his eyes tried to look for answers his powers couldn't give him.

Bella turned and grinned at Edward choosing not to answer.

Alice sighed beside Bella and slipped her hand into the older vampire's and pulled her over to sit them down beside Esme. She then patted Bella on the leg as she mumbled, "Play nice. For now at least." The small vampire then looked to her brother, wondering how he could have the rest of her family deceived.

Bella's face relaxed at Alice's words and while she appreciated the thought she doubted it would be possible.

"Well?" Edward asked stepping closer to the pair and using his height to his advantage.

"Now is that any way to speak to a guest in your house?" Bella asked with a disappointed shake of her head, she had to smother a grin as the hand on her thigh tightened its grip on her. She met Carlisle's gaze. "But you really do have bigger things to worry about Carlisle." She told him.

Edward glared and stepped back to stand with his father, he could see the intrigue already there and so turned to Alice to find out what he could from her.

Bella tried not to but the moment his eyes widened she couldn't help but chuckle.

"What did you do to my sister?" Edward demanded hissing at Bella.

Alice gave Bella a questioning look as everyone else waited to find out why Edward was so incensed. Alice could see Jasper's worried look and gave her husband a helpless shrug not knowing what Edward was talking about, Bella hadn't done anything to her.

Jasper relaxed slightly, from his reading of the both of them he could tell they were angry but nothing he could feel coming from Alice gave any indication as to what Edward was talking about.

"I can't read her." Edward confessed. "Not a thought, just like her." He spat out as if Bella had somehow infected Alice with a disease.

"Is that all?" Rosalie said with a sigh, she'd been worried for a moment.

Edward glared at Rosalie then turned back to Bella who he wanted as far away from his family as possible. "Undo it!" He demanded.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Stop acting like a child before I start treating you like one Edward." She warned casually.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Maybe it would be best if we talked in my office Bella, and you can tell me what it is I should worry about." He offered feeling that things would get worse if Edward didn't calm down.

But Bella shook her head. "I can deal with Edward and I'd rather say this just the once." She said before anyone else could argue that they wanted to be present, not that they'd have been unable to hear the conversation had she gone with him to his study.

"Very well." Carlisle replied.

Bella sighed then gave Alice a smile before standing up. She needed to be able to look at all of them as she told then what was to happen and she couldn't do that sitting down with Edward glaring at her. He really didn't bother her to much, but she was getting tried of his attitude.

"If you could sit down?" She asked the others and Jasper along with Carlisle quickly sat beside their respective wives, Edward hesitated of course but eventually he move to sit on the arm of the couch beside his father. "Great. First I'd like to explain a bit about my powers,"

"You have more than one?" Rosalie interrupted.

"Sort of." Bella answered, her hand wiggling as she continued. "They're connected. When Alice took me with her to stop Edward we found out I naturally blocked other vampire's powers, Jane couldn't hurt me the same way Aro wasn't able to read me like he can everyone else."

Jasper looked puzzled. "Why can I read you then?" He asked.

Bella gave him a smile. "It has to do with the nature of your power and its intent. I never blocked Alice either."

"But I can't see you now." Alice said from her seat sounding sad.

"You can I'm just blocking you right now." Bella admitted. "It's not intentional Alice it just habit for me." She added as her friends face fell at the news. She took a deep breath and tried her best to describe her gift. "I never had to try and block Edward from reading my mind, or Jane or Aro even, I just did. That's because my body was protecting itself from the threat they posed to me, unlike Jasper who simple read my emotional state, his power was passive, which is why he was never blocked."

"Could you block him now?" Carlisle asked as Bella paused.

"Yes."

Emmett blew out a breath in wonder. "Sounds cool."

"I think so." Bella agreed. Then she turned back to Carlisle. "And as Edward pointed out, it's now possible for me to extend that protection to others." She said referring to Edwards inability to read Alice's thoughts.

"What about in the forest, what was that?" Rosalie asked.

Bella grinned at the pair sat together, Emmett had his hands stroking up along Rosalie's thigh, in a very sexual way. If she hadn't seen and heard them getting reacquainted earlier it was clear that they no longer had a problem touching. She winked at the blonde.

"You could say the blocking is a defence mechanism while what happened in the forest was more like an offensive power." She told her. "I can give someone else's power a 'boost' as it were, which is what I did with Jasper, or I can use the power against that person." She said leaving it clear for any of them to realise she wasn't restricted to vampires.

The room was quiet for a few minutes until Bella slapped her hands together startling them. She just grinned. "Okay, now on with the real story."

Alice giggled.

"Once upon a time a stupid little human girl arrived in a town called Forks; she'd left a mother who didn't want the responsibility of a child to live with a man who didn't know how to be a father. With little to do with her time, the human set about finding out the secrets her new home had kept well hidden for decades, accidentally of course, she always had been a problem child after all." Bella said with a roll of her eyes that had Emmett chuckling. "But find them she did, and not one secret but two, and although she should have been afraid on learning the truth she wasn't. Instead she wanted to become part of the secret herself, she'd made friends and when a place was offered to her she accepted." Now Bella looked sad as she looked around at the eye watching her, waiting for her to continue. "But the human had been foolish as she was denied her place again and again, she finally realised it was all a trick so she ran away. Only it wasn't that simple because she had no where safe to go, but she was fortunate and someone else took pity on her and made her part of the secret after all, but by then it was too late."

"Too late for what?" Jasper asked trying to ignore the worry and sorrow that began to blur around the room.

"To save my family." Bella had to close her eyes and fought hard not to become too upset, things would be different now and she didn't want to subject Jasper to what she had gone through back then.

Edward was the first to react by snorting and getting up. "You don't really think we're going to believe that are you?" He asked.

Bella didn't see the need to convince anyone, she'd told the truth, of course Edward wasn't going to just admit anything.

"So we die, is that what you're saying?" Rosalie asked shifting her position.

"Yes."

Emmett shot up, his face clouded in anger. "No way!" He argued. "Not happening. Not on my watch." He growled his fangs showing as he spoke.

Bella looked at him sympathetically. "Well I hope not otherwise I'm wasting my time here."

Carlisle sighed. As entertaining as Bella's story was it didn't exactly give a detailed account of what happened to her. "Could you please explain what takes place Bella?" He asked, holding onto his wife's hand.

Bella glanced briefly to Alice before nodding. "In a few days Edward postpones the wedding, much to my surprise, needless to say I don't take it well and go to Jacob's to stay because I know Edward couldn't follow me there." She informs them.

The stunned looks she gets from the other vampires doesn't give her any comfort and she notes Carlisle's expression hadn't changed at the news.

"I spent a few days on the reservation trying to figure out what to do next. It was over with Edward but I still had college offers to think about." Bella said.

"You were just going to go to school?" Rosalie asked. While she didn't agree with Bella being changed, and as annoying as she found the human, she was part of the family.

Bella made a face. "I wasn't going to hang around for a year or two, be your family's pet, while he tried to find more excuses not to change me."

Emmett chuckled at the thought only to scowl when Rosalie punched him on the leg.

"We never thought of you like that." Esme spoke up softly.

Bella shrugged. "At the time it felt like the truth."

Jasper looked at his brother who was at the far end of the room arms crossed and glaring at Bella. "It's true then?" He hadn't denied it. Jasper didn't understand, Edward had always longed for the day he found his mate, all he had to do was make her one of them, Alice had even offered if Edward didn't think he could handle that part himself.

Edward tilted his head. "I agreed to change her once we were married, what difference would waiting a few more years make?" He asked.

"Yes because the Volturi wouldn't mind that." Alice huffed. When she'd offered to change Bella in Italy she would have done it there and then had Aro insisted. Not her brother though, Bella was right, he would have let them all die first.

"There are ways around the Volturi." Edward said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He had to think about what to do now, if he did as he'd planned his Bella would run to the wolves and he didn't want that.

"Are there ways around Victoria too?" Bella asked. "Because unlike some she didn't think twice about crossing over onto the reservation for me."

That shut everyone up.

xxxxxx

**AN/ **We're getting there. Slowly I know, but I'm trying not to just overload the story with facts on Bella's changing. The rest of what happened and how the Cullen's died should hopefully all be in the next chapter.

After that I'll see what we can do about Alice and Bella ;)

Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

Carlisle sighed as he took in the now almost empty room, Edward was up in his room, Rosalie and Emmett had disappeared too while Jasper stood a few feet from Bella who was staring at Alice out through the window.

"We should discuss this." Esme said quietly as she got up and took her husband's hand in hers and didn't let go until they were safely in their own rooms. Which were suitable soundproofed.

Esme let go of his hand as soon as the door had closed and spun around to confront her husband. Face was set in anger, she asked, "Did you know about this, that Edward wouldn't go through with marrying that young girl?"

"No."

Esme wasn't convinced and levelled a chilling glare at Carlisle.

"But," Carlisle said stepping closer to his wife and slipping his hands into hers, giving her a loving look as her face softened. "He's our son, how can he offer Bella something he still hasn't been able to grant himself."

"So you did know." She accused.

"I suspected." He admitted. "But I had hoped he would go through with it anyway, she really has become a large part of this family. I didn't want to upset you when I might not have had to."

Esme was grateful she could no longer cry. She would have cried for Bella. And cried for Edward.

"Come here." Carlisle said gathering Esme into his arms and holding her. "We will work this out, I promise."

Esme nuzzled into the broad chest she was snuggled against, she'd always felt protected in her husbands arms, but she worried how it would be possible to fix this and keep her family whole.

"Oh, Carlisle, what will we do?"

Carlisle didn't have an answer yet so he just stood there holding her for a long time. He hoped Bella would provide an answer for him. He leant down and kissed Esme on the forehead as he loosened his hold. "Come, perhaps everyone has returned and we can start figuring that out."

xxxxxx

"She's more upset than I have witnessed in a long time."

A warning growl rumbled from Bella at the sound of Jasper's soft voice. She didn't want anyone near her right now least of all Alice's husband. Her eyes remained fixed on the small vampire stood in the middle of the yard, her hand pressed against the glass as she debated what to do.

Jasper cleared his throat taking the warning seriously, and stayed where he was, this was about Alice he had no intention of provoking the older vampire. Whatever reason Alice had for running out of the room, he knew it was unlikely he could provide Alice with the comfort she required without using his powers on her and he was reluctant to do that.

"Perhaps you should go speak to her." He suggested before stepping away and turning his back to Bella and the image of his wife in pain.

Bella waited a few moments until she no longer felt Jasper in the room with her, and only then did she relax slightly. She sighed and studied her best friend again. Jasper had all but pushed her towards Alice, so why was she hesitant?

xxxxxxx

Alice heard the glass pane siding open and someone hop down and make their way tentatively over to her. She inhaled and almost cried out as she smelled Bella. She wasn't ready to face her friend, not sure how she could now.

"I'd ask if you're okay but I already know the answer." Bella said coming up behind Alice slowly.

Alice sobbed piteously and covered her face in an effort to hide.

Bella's teeth ground together as she inched closer to the smaller vampire. She didn't hesitate to slip her arms around in front of the dark haired girl and pull her back against her body. The smaller body remained unyielding for a long time but Bella held on, letting Alice whimper and cry tearlessly. When Alice finally surrendered the last of her control over her legs buckled sending them both to the ground.

"Come on, whatever it is it can't be that bad." Bella muttered as Alice quietened and she ran her fingers through the dark strands then scratched at the base of Alice's neck as she shifted around in her arms. "Hm?" She encouraged.

Alice's lip trembled as she lifted her head to look Bella in the eye.

"You can talk to me Alice." Bella continued as Alice struggled to get her emotions under control.

"Why don't you hate me?" Alice asked softly much to Bella's surprise.

"What? How could I ever...?"

Alice knocked her head against Bella's shoulder, huffing out a breath. She didn't understand Bella's lack of anger. "Edward breaks your heart and Victoria turns up to kill you and where am I during all of this? Nowhere." She bites out. "Did I see both things happening before they did and do nothing or didn't I see any of it, in which case what's the point? Why have visions when I can't even protect the person I love!"

"Hey, hey." Bella said as Alice trembled in her arms again. She pulled Alice as close as she could cursing the fact that any of the others could be watching them from the house. "Please don't think like that Alice." Her eyes closed at her friends torment, she couldn't even give her any answers.

"If I'd seen her I wouldn't have cared about the treaty I swear!" Alice insisted.

"I know that."

"You believe me?" Alice asked tilting her head back enough to make eye contact.

Bella cupped Alice's face with both of her hands. "Of course I do."

Alice studied her face for a long time then sighed. "Okay."

"Good, then come on," Bella said getting to her feet and pulling Alice up with her, chosing not letting go of her hand as they made their way back to the house. Not that Alice seemed to mind. "Story time isn't over yet."

Alice pouted. "I'm not liking this story." She sulked.

Bella chuckled and pulled Alice closer, letting go of her hand to wrap her arm around the smaller girls shoulders instead. She pressed her lips to Alice's temple. "No, I guess not, but the cool thing about this story is that we can change how it ends. The first draft sucked."

That got a giggle from Alice which made Bella smile.

xxxxxx

"Well now that we're all back if you wouldn't mind Bella, please continue telling us what will happen, or did happen, to you." Carlisle said to Bella who had been sat with Alice when he and Esme re-entered the room. He noticed Alice grip Bella's hand and wasn't surprised when Bella remained seated beside her as she continued.

"I was a mess at Jake's, I did my best to hide it because his father would have called Charlie again and I didn't want him worrying about me like last time." Bella explained picking up from her arrival on the reservation. "I wasn't really sure what I was going to do, but after Charlie said I could stay for a couple of days I felt a bit better, that was until that night when some of the pack turned up informing Jake that there was vampires on the borderline." She paused to glare at Edward who was sat by himself on the steps. "Edward had turned up wanting to 'talk' to me." She said with a chuckle. "He had Jasper with him but he didn't seem too willing to talk the moment he saw Jake with me. The two of them got into a shouting match that riled up the rest of the pack, one step over that line and they would have ripped him to shreds." She told them.

Edward wouldn't look at the vampire. It was one thing to be upset at the wedding being pushed back because he wasn't ready it was quite another to run to the wolf. He did his best not to let his emotions become too strong as he had enough of a problem dealing with the thoughts of his siblings and the disappointment coming from his mother.

But Carlisle understood why he would have done it.

Why would he ever want to destroy his beautiful Bella? It was her crazy idea to become like them, didn't she see how precious her life was to him?

Edward's lips twitched as he listened to this fake Bella go on, and on. His Bella wouldn't abandon him for the wolf. She loved him.

"The pissing contest stopped when I threw his ring back to him." Bella said with a smile, remembering the stunned look on his face as it hit him on the chest. "I told him I didn't love him and that I wasn't a toy for him to pick up and put down whenever he felt like it." She smiled in satisfaction as Edward finally made his eyes look in her direction. She could see his anger but it just made her smile widen as she told him the rest. "I told Edward that he wasn't the only one that could turn me into a vampire and that when I was he'd better start watching his back."

Carlisle cleared his throat thinking Bella could have left that last part out.

Bella took the hint and sighed dramatically as she continued. "Alas I never did, I walked away from him that day and never saw him again until the other day when I turned up here."

"What happened?" Esme asked softly. Her family was her life, without them it didn't bear thinking about what she would do.

A sad smile crept onto Bella's face as she started on the last part of her story. "A couple of days later Jake and Seth, the newest pack member, took me out onto the cliffs to show off and just mess about." She said dismissing Edward once again. "I was on a much lower cliff from where they were. And when they'd both jumped I could see them in the water telling me to jump too, just as I was about to join them I was grabbed from behind, I didn't hear her or see her coming, she was just there." Bella spared Alice a smile when the smaller vampire gripped her hand tighter. "I could hear Jake shouting from the water but she didn't need long, a mate for a mate...and that was it."

"Oh Carlisle." Esme said hiding her face against her husband at the thought of Bella being without them when Victoria had found her, they'd promised to keep her safe from the redhead but they had failed badly.

"Edward didn't even kill the fucker." Emmett grumbled, angry that he hadn't been able to protect his human friend. He didn't know what it meant, Edward changing the wedding, and even if they didn't marry, Bella was still like a sister to him.

"What?" Edward asked speaking up quietly.

Emmett shrugged. "Alice killed James, why'd that bitch have to go after Bella anyway?" He asked shaking his head.

Bella blinked, she had no idea Alice was the one that killed James, Edward had always just said James had been taken care of, he'd never gone into detail.

"You killed him?" She asked turning to her friend whose eyes had widened.

"Does it matter who killed him, the fact is Victoria will be here soon and we need to do something to keep Bella safe." Edward said standing up, demanding action be taken.

"Of course you're right." Carlisle agreed. "If we have...say a week? Then it should be enough time to come up with a plan."

"No, I'm taking her with me, I'll go to Alaska or Canada, we won't be here when she shows up." Edward said offering his plan.

Bella snorted. "That'll work great! I mean we don't actually know how long she was around Forks waiting to attack me, but by all means leave on your own I'm sure you'll do just fine going up against her!"

"Wow." Emmett muttered, his eyes lighting up as he enjoyed seeing this side of Bella. When this was all over he definitely wanted to see exactly how tough a vampire she was.

Edward glared but didn't reply as he crossed his arms over his chest.

With a small sigh Carlisle looked to Bella. "Is there something you have in mind?"

Bella tried not to smirk. "Bring her here for a few days," She proposed.

"What? No way, are you crazy, I'm not having Bella come anywhere near you!" Edward shouted in a rage.

"And say after the _third _day she could disappear and then I'd be here, if it's done right, even if Victoria is around she'll see me and think she's missed her chance." Bella continued as if Edward hadn't spoken.

Carlisle put his hand to his chin as he considered what Bella was suggesting. It would look like they'd changed Bella, and if Bella was no longer human Victoria wouldn't have someone to take revenge out on. Taking on a newborn was a challenge at the best of times but given Bella wouldn't be allowed to be on her own or even wander far from the house, it may just cause Victoria to give up and leave.

It was a very solid idea. One that could actually work.

"And what of Bella?" He asked, they couldn't tell her the truth that much was clear.

Bella shrugged. "She's still expecting to be changed after the wedding, tell her she should spend the rest of summer with Renee, a chance to say goodbye."

Alice swallowed with difficulty. This Bella didn't get the chance to say goodbye, she could see it in her eyes. Alice didn't remember anything of her human parents, Carlisle and Esme were the only ones she'd had, but still, to not get the chance to say goodbye. How awful must that have been for her, to awaken and have no one to turn to.

"That will work." Carlisle said, impressed with Bella's plan.

"And when the dogs bump into this Bella, what then?" Edward asked trying his best to derail Bella's idea so he wouldn't be forced to send his love away.

"You mean the dog's that had you all killed?" Bella asked turning her attention to her ex. "I'm shocked you care."

Rosalie groaned into the silence that descended in the room. "The dogs? I get killed by a dog?" She asks in frustration. "Victoria I get, but a dog? That's just insulting."

Bella smiled watching Rose go back to her magazine after that as if she hadn't just been told of her own impending death. She was such a one off. All of the Cullen's were. She really had missed them.

"Well to be honest Rosalie, it wasn't exactly a fair fight, so don't feel too bad."


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 13**

Jasper eyed his wife. They were in their own room now that Carlisle had been called in to work and had to leave discussion of Bella's news for the morning. Edward had stormed out of the house soon after no doubt to once again keep vigil over Bella. Jasper also had to consider that perhaps his brother was afraid to be around this Bella for any length of time.

"You know...I can't feel you anymore." He said stepping closer to Alice.

Alice paused mid-step to her wardrobe and turns to him with a perplexed look. "What do you mean?"

Jasper tilted his head and closed his eyes as he concentrated on searching for her with the use of his gift. He could feel Emmett's confusion, Rosalie's anger, his mother's mostly concealed worry, he even felt something from Bella, not much, but she was there. Unlike Alice who just wasn't, not to his power.

He opened his eyes to meet her curious gaze and lifted his hand to take in her figure. "It's as if you aren't in the house. I can't feel anything from you. You're not there." He said his feelings ranging from annoyed to fearful. Alice was his grounding point when it all became too much for him, to not have that, even if it was just temporary, scared him.

"Oh." Alice blinked in surprise. She shifted as he moved closer, she didn't know how that made her feel but she could see Jaspers upset over it. "I don't think she did it on purpose...if she did do something."

Jasper calmly took her hand a guided her over to the bed and sat them down, their arms touching. He studied his wife. "You've never hidden you feelings on Bella before, even Edward is aware of them, but for Bella to use her gift in this maybe she thinks there's something there that needs to be hidden."

Alice couldn't think properly, she hadn't known Bella _had _done something to shield her emotions from Jasper. She turned her head to gaze out at the fading light. She'd just been told her entire family was set to be killed in a few days time, an event that she apparently would not be able to foreshadow and prevent. She was angry, very angry. Not just at Edward or the wolves but at herself. She was disheartened at being faced with such a failure. She'd faced a great many things as a vampire but her gift allowed her time to change them. Sometimes her visions gave her months to work out a solution, sometimes she had minutes between a vision and watching it play out.

But now Bella was here.

And it had taken her hundreds of years to travel back to this point in time. A feat that was still almost impossible to believe was true.

But it was, and she was here to ultimately save all of their lives.

Alice let her pain shine through as she met her husbands golden eyes. "All I feel right now is useless, I don't save anyone, not Bella and not our family. Why would Bella need to hide that from you?" She asked still wondering why Jasper felt the need to bring this up. Hadn't he heard what Bella had said down stairs? She eased her hand from his hold and went back to her clothes. She wanted to shower and change, she quickly rifled through her options before picking a dark coloured blouse and black pants. They reflected her mood. If Jasper was having trouble sensing her then she'd make it more obvious for him.

Jasper sighed as Alice closed the door to their bathroom.

"That could have gone better." He muttered quietly as his hearing picked up the sound of the shower being switched on.

He eyed the closed door as he chewed on his lip. As much as he was concerned by Bella's news, he was more pragmatic about the whole thing. It hadn't happened yet and Bella had good knowledge of the chain of events that had led to his family being hunted by the wolves.

He knew Carlisle would want a more detailed retelling from Bella once he returned home. That would give them more understanding of what had caused their demise and would enable them to hopefully stop it from repeating.

He was confident they'd succeed. Bella's plan to send the human away was a good one, and despite what his brother would think of it Jasper was sure their father would agree to doing it. That just left them to deal with Victoria, something they should have done before now in any case. Leaving the redhead alive was a mistake, one they had paid for with their lives. That wouldn't happen this time.

No.

What had Jasper worried was the look in Bella's eyes as she watched his wife leave the living room. There was an ache in them that had his beast demanding he step in and remind the other vampire that Alice belonged to him. He'd managed to keep from growling but he'd given her a long look before following his wife from the room.

He'd have to watch more carefully from now on.

xxxxxx

Emmett's hands were busy trying to keep his little soldier guy from being killed yet again as his eyes strayed once more to the vampire sat on the floor beside him.

"You're getting shot again." Bella muttered as she navigated her own soldier around the second floor of a building looking for more people to kill. She'd never been a game player but she did enjoy killing things. This wasn't close to the same thing but there was a small amount of satisfaction gained as she beat Emmett. She smirked as she watched Emmett's solider pause on the screen again and felt more than saw his eyes on her.

"So they just like...burn the house down, with us all inside?" He asked softly. Rose was sat nearby and could clearly hear him but he was willing to risk it.

Bella sighed. She'd explained as much as she knew to the Cullen's but when she'd admitted her information had come from Jacob she had to agree that she couldn't be one hundred percent sure of it being entirely factual. At least that was what she wanted them to think. The truth was she'd heard the exact same tale from every wolf she had hunted down, the ones she didn't kill outright that was.

But that wasn't something she wanted the Cullen's to have knowledge of.

The wolves, lead by Jacob, had only enlisted the help from another wolf pack to seek revenge over the death of Bella by Victoria. Strangely, the fact that she had died while in their care never seemed to be mentioned. But then Jacob was as bad as Edward was for taking responsibility for his actions.

"Yes." Bella replied in a clipped tone. Her eyes darkened at how stupid it had all been. Her change into a vampire, however horrific at the time, wasn't something she regretted happening. It was the fallout that she couldn't prevent that tore her apart inside.

Jacob blamed the Cullen's for it and demanded war, Victoria had been their problem, one they abandoned Bella to yet again. He'd won over his pack members and Sam, as alpha, had made the call to a group he'd heard the Elders speak of. A wandering pack that lived for the kill of every vampire they came across.

Emmett grunted and went back to his game with a frown on his face.

She wasn't sure how they Cullen's had been told of her apparent death or how they had taken the news, but what was made crystal clear to her was that other than a last ditch attempt made by Emmett and Rosalie, the Cullen's had accepted their fate as their home was torched by the surrounding wolves that laid in wait for anyone that tried to escape the rising flames.

"That sucks."

Bella smiled as the vampire sat beside her pouted. "It's not going to come to that this time Emmett." She said to him.

"Better not." Rosalie muttered. While she hadn't thought much of finding out how her life as a vampire ended, she was also disgusted over how easily it had all happened. To think that not more than a few miles away a group of mangy mutts lived that with one call managed to destroy her family? That was a kicker, especially given how often Carlisle had assured them that the wolves would never be a problem.

Bella's eyes twinkled and she let her fangs show as she turned to the riled up blonde. "You feel the need to pay the dogs a visit, you let me know." She said in a whisper quiet enough that only Rosalie and Emmett could hear her.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed as she studied the other vampire. Eventually she gave a small but significant nod of her head. The wolves had been given too much respect in the past. They should have feared the Cullen's. _They will fear us, this time._

Emmett's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "Are we like, going to-"

"Shh!" Rosalie hissed at her husband. She took a moment to listen to see if anyone was going to come down and see what was going on down here, but there was no movement in their direction. She looked to Bella again. "We have a couple of days still?" She asked.

Bella nodded. "Maybe more."

Happy with that news Rosalie got up from the couch she was sitting on. "Come on Em, let's go see about getting something to eat."

Emmett watched Rosalie's retreating form before shifting nervously and eyeing Bella. He'd begged her to play with him and after giving in he felt bad about leaving so soon when they had all night.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Go on, rematch tomorrow."

Emmett grinned and hopped up. "You're on sis." And with that he was off.

Bella shook her head. But his easy acceptance of her was precious to her he'd always seemed to want her to be part of his family even when his own wife disagreed. Sat there as she was she could almost believe this was how things would have been, should have been, for her, had Edward not backed out of his promise.

xxxxxx

Alice paused as she spotted Bella sat alone in front of the large flat screen TV. She was struck by how easily she could be stood there watching the human girl she had befriended. But while they may look similar after having spent time with both of them recently it was easy to tell them apart, they both had a different 'feel' to them. The human girl was sweet and light, she had spirit, unlike the Bella sat across the room who wore a cloud of darkness almost constantly. It was so entwined that even when she grinned and laughed it didn't seem to lift.

Alice wondered just what Bella had been through to cause such a thing, but she didn't think it was her place to delve too deeply into Bella's past. The older vampire had already said she was blocking Alice's ability to see into her future, and after experiencing Bella's changing it was obvious there were things Bella did not want Alice to see.

It saddened Alice to think the older vampire felt she had to hide part of herself from them. Alice knew no one in her family was without fault, not even Esme, she would never think badly of Bella no matter what she had done.

_But does she know that?_

"Hey." Bella said as she felt the other girls company and twisted her head to look at her. She gave Alice a warm smile and held up the controller she'd been using as she played against Emmett. "Fancy a game?" She asked.

Alice returned the smile and gave Bella a shrug and approached to take up Emmett's place on the sofa. "Sure."

Bella smirked and focused on the game for a bit, she wasn't very good, not compared to Emmett, but it was clear neither was Alice so they both had a reasonable chance of winning.

Alice frowned as she turned her character on the screen the wrong way and ended up being shot at. She pouted as she listened to Bella chuckle. She didn't like playing because she couldn't use her gift to her advantage because moves were made too quickly for her to see the outcome.

Alice watched her character being shot to death with a pout. She scowled at Bella as the other vampire giggled beside her.

"You know the objective of this game is to kill the other guys not get yourself killed." Bella reminded her.

"Like Emmett wasn't kicking your butt before I came down." Alice muttered as her character faded back to life and she carried on.

"Well I haven't played in hundreds of years, what's your excuse shortie?" Bella asked with a quirky grin.

"It's like that is it?" Alice asked then tried to focus more on the game this time in an effort to hunt down Bella's player, if she win the right way she'd simply join the opposing side.

"Uh...that's, Alice your shooting me!" Bella protested.

Alice laughed. "I know."

Bella's eyes narrowed as she manoeuvred her character out of the way. "Fine, but just remember, I was willing to play fair now all bets are off." She warned. She got her soldier out of the factory and found a good spot to hide behind as she waited on Alice's character following her out.

"Ha! Take that." Bella whooped as she bombed the solider that had run out.

Alice groaned as Bella's character stood waiting for her to come back to life again just to kill her once more. She wasn't having that and made a move to snatch Bella's controller out of her hand or at the very least distract her long enough to get her soldier to safety.

"Hey, stop that. Alice!" Bella giggled and tried to bat Alice's hand away. She shook her head as Alice sat back satisfied now that her soldier had escaped off somewhere. "You're worse than Emmett." Bella muttered with a frown, but her lips twitched as she set about finding Alice once more.

They sat there laughing and giggling as they continually sought out each other to kill over the bad guys. More than once they got so caught up in attacking each other that they got killed by other characters in the game.

Bella watched her soldier fade back in with its last life. "This time you're going down." She said with determination and quickly raced her guy into the building Alice had taken her soldier. She was so caught up in shooting Alice's soldier that she didn't notice for a moment that it wasn't returning fire.

"Alice?" Bella turned to see her friend in the midst of a vision, her eyes clouded over as she stared unseeing at the TV.

Alice blinked and turned concerned eyes on to Bella. "You need to go."

Bella frowned, her eyes catching Jasper's arrive as she stood. "What's wrong?" She asked her attention back on the smaller girl.

Alice swallowed her eyes flitting from Bella to Jasper. "She's coming."

"Who?" Bella asked tensing. Alice having a vision of Victoria returning didn't make sense. Not with this much time to go before Edward postpones the wedding and her attack on the reservation.

Just then all three of them heard the sound of a car arriving out front.

Alice glanced towards the front of the house with a worried look.

"Bella's here."


	14. Chapter 14

**Part 14**

Alice watched a reluctant Bella dash up the stairs out of the way just as the front door was knocked. She turned to Jasper and nodded at him. "Let her in." She told him and waited impatiently for the human to arrive, she hadn't seen very much in her vision but she did witness Edward's arrival as Bella spoke to her, and he was not pleased. There was no way that this would go well.

"Hey Alice." Bella said as she and Jasper walked into the living room. Bella glanced around nervously. "I hope I'm not interrupting?"

Alice smiled at her friend. "Of course not." She assured her and noted the anxious way Bella held her body. She was closed off, protective of herself. It sent Alice's mind wondering as to the cause. "Is everything okay, Bella?"

Jasper studied the girl, beginning to grow concerned as well.

Bella swallowed and licked her dry lips before meeting Alice's golden eyes. "Is Edward here?"

Alice struggled not to respond to the groan and thud she could hear coming from upstairs. No doubt the vampire version was not at all thrilled with this turn in the proceedings. "I'm sorry Bella but Edward's gone out, I'm sure he'll be returning soon though." She'd had the vision to prove it too.

"Oh." Bella looked lost for a moment. "Yeah, I should have guessed." She muttered quietly to herself looking at her shoes. "He would have come down."

"Would you care for some food?" Jasper asked politely to break the silence that descended. "I know Esme keeps lots of your favourite things in the kitchen for you."

Bella frowned and turned to him. "No. Thanks, but I need to see Edward."

This time Jasper frowned, he could feel the worry and anxiety filling the space around him coming from Alice as well as Bella. "Is something wrong?"

Bella snorted and raked her hand through her unruly hair. "You could say that."

Alice opened her mouth to comment only to feel herself being pulled into a vision.

"_Quickly! We don't have much time." Carlisle called as he hefted a box of his books over into the bed of Emmett's jeep. Running and voices could be heard from inside the house. He turned and raced back into the house where more boxes lay waiting for him. He paused as his wife came towards him holding an armful of bags. His voice softened as he took in her fearful eyes and he took the time to reach out and clasp her shoulder. "We'll be okay love."_

"_I hope so." Esme replied before hurrying past him with her things._

_Carlisle watched her go then stooped down and picked up some more boxes. "Pack __**everything**__ you need, we may not have a house standing if we ever return." He called once more to those still packing._

Alice gasped as the vision ended.

Jasper was at her side in an instant. He could feel horror and fear radiating from his wife. "Alice, what's wrong, what did you see?" He asked quickly. Bella, both of them, slipped completely out of his mind as he reacted to what he felt coming from his wife.

Alice shook her head, they didn't have time. "Call Carlisle and Rose," She commanded her voice strong but she couldn't hide her emotions from him she knew. Still, she felt him try to counteract them with the use of his power. She would have smiled in gratitude if things weren't so serious. "Everyone needs to get back here. Now." Alice was thankful when Jasper just pulled out his cell phone and did as she asked. She watched him for a second then tried to focus on something more she could do, something productive. Her pacing brought her face to face with a very alarmed Bella.

Their gazes locked and Alice thought she could see guilt enter her friend's eyes.

"Esme's not here." That quiet voice broke the spell as Alice shifted her eyes slightly to find the other Bella stood at the bottom step, out of sight from the human who was facing Alice. Alice could see the older vampire chew at her lip and her hands clench into fists as she restrained herself from continuing into the room. It would be best not to exposing herself to, well, herself.

Alice closed her eyes and concentrated on her father, if Esme had left the first logical place she would go would be to Carlisle. She nodded as her eyes opened. "She's at the hospital." She whispered back too quiet for human ears.

Bella nodded. If Alice had found the vampire elsewhere she would have offered to track her down and return her to the house, whatever Alice had seen in her vision had her spooked too. This was something she had a gut feeling had not happened first time around, and that thought brought with it the fear that her decision to return would stop nothing. She was here to stop the Cullen's dying because of her, maybe she had underestimated how simple a task that would be.

"Done, they should all be back soon." Jasper announced snapping his phone closed. "Should I call Edward?" Jasper asked with neutral look on his face. Alice had said nothing of calling him.

"Oh, I don't think he'd pick up." Alice replied cryptically. Her first vision wasn't long in coming to fruition.

Bella sighed from her spot on the stairs. It annoyed her to have to wait, she'd spent her lifetime waiting in search for things that were yet to exist, she couldn't outright demand Alice explain what her vision had foretold but she didn't have to like being as stuck in the dark as everyone else. It wasn't fair, she could tell them so many worldwide events that would take place, each one advancing and shaping the human world into a different one than it was now. But what she couldn't do is come up with a reason for Alice's vision.

Victoria wasn't here yet, and even if she was the redhead wouldn't cause this amount of worry or panic from Alice.

What did that leave?

"Tell me what you saw." Bella asked quietly, still mindful of the human in the room, although her tone lacked the proper inflection for it to actually be a question.

Alice shook her head. "We don't have time." She replied regretfully.

Bella and Jasper frowned at this.

"Why not?" Jasper asked looking from Bella to Alice. Seeing the other vampires concern, while still unable to sense it, just added to his own state of unease. If he had no information at hand what could he do other than wait? It went against his instincts to do nothing.

"Something's changed." Alice whispered as her eyes flitted around the room, going from Jasper to the human Bella then to her future version. She then glanced to the top of the stairs. The space was empty but it soon wouldn't be, soon her brother would race up those steps, his face set in anger.

"Things are different now." She said meeting the darkened eyes of the vampire on the stair.

_Different. Things are different. _Bella's mind raced with the implication. "Better?" She muttered to her friend.

Alice took the time to shake her head in the negative before tensing and bracing her body as the front door of the house was knocked in with a thundering crash.

"How could you?" Edward cried almost flying for Bella as his eyes located his girlfriend.

Jasper reacted quickly to the danger and grabbed for his brother just as Alice positioned herself between Edward and the human.

Edward snarled as he tried to break free from Jasper's hold but he couldn't shake his brother loose. He growled louder all the time keeping his eyes on the human girl who appeared almost as pale as his sister. _Good_. He wanted her to fear him. _How dare she betray me this way!_

Alice put out her hand. "You need to calm down Edward." She said softly, she saw the strain in Jasper's eyes and knew he had to be trying to influence Edward in his own way. She trusted Jasper's ability to restrain Edward for as long as need be and with any luck the rest of their family would be arriving soon.

"Calm down?" Edward repeated incensed that he was being held back while Bella was allowed to just stand there like she was the innocent party. "She kissed him, Alice. She kissed that dog!" He shouted out as his eyes darkened further and he increased his effort to free himself.

Alice whipped her head around to look at Bella. Now she understood where the guilt had come from.

"Great, turns out I'm even more stupid this time around." Bella muttered from her spot on the stairs. She wasn't really concerned for the humans safety, while Edward may have been quick, Alice and Jasper were better fighters, and if they did need any assistance she was more than ready to step in and deal with Edward. In fact, part of her wanted him to get loose. It would give her a valid reason for beating him to a pulp. Well, it was more of a smash to pieces type of thing with vampires, but she wasn't going to complain. There was something to be said for fighting something that wasn't going to ruin your clothes by bleeding all over them.

Alice's lips twitched and even Jasper flashed a quick grin having heard the mumbled words coming from the other side of the room.

But Jasper's momentary loss of concentration was enough for Edward to break an arm free and lunge for Bella. Only Alice prevented a disaster. She surged forward and thrust her arms against his shoulders causing them both to stumble into Jasper who quickly tightened his grip on his brother with a determined look. If Edward had managed to spill one single drop of Bella's blood, the human would be in danger from him as well and he wouldn't allow his brother to bring about such a thing. No matter what the human had done, Edward was so far past the line in this that he'd be lucky if Carlisle didn't send him personally to Alaska.

A deep growl stopped Edwards struggles cold. Even Bella heard the sound and looked to the side of the room to see a hooded figure standing there. She gasped at the sight of the stranger and backed away uneasily. She knew this had to be the Cullen's visitor but she wasn't sure if he or she would be a danger to her.

Bella ignore the human as her eyes found Edwards and fixed him with a lethal glare. "Harm her and I'll kill you where you stand." She warned him. It would be his only warning.

Alice's eyes grew large as she took in the partially hidden face. She was stunned that Bella was willing to appear in front of her human self. She'd gotten the impression the vampire didn't much care for the younger girl.

"B – Ah...uh," Alice didn't know what to say. She couldn't really name Bella not seeing as the older vampire had taken the trouble to find a hooded top from somewhere in the house. Which left her with no real way of addressing Bella while human Bella was still in the room.

Bella chuckled as Alice floundered. She eased further into the rest of the room. With the hood up and the distance Bella had created on hearing her growl it would be simple enough to remain undetected. She strolled over to Edward and looked him over. Jasper still had a tight grip on him but his anger and hatred of her was still clear to see.

"All this fuss...over a kiss?" She asked her former boyfriend. Enjoying the way his jaw clenched at her question.

"I didn't...I didn't really...kiss him." Bella spoke up from her place close to the wall, she didn't really want to interrupt the stranger or actually draw attention to herself, but when had self preservation been at the forefront of anything she did in life?

She blushed as they all turned to face her. She swallowed and gave a half shrug. "He kissed me."

Bella eyes her for a second longer before turning back to Edward. "Well now that that's been cleared up, don't you feel stupid?" She asked as a grin grew across her features.

Edward growled and bared his fangs at Bella but Jasper's hold was solid.

"Is that why you asked for him?" Alice asked thinking it explained the humans arrival.

"Uh...not really."

Alice sighed quietly as the vampire beside her chuckled again. She turned to her brother and gave him a scolding look. "We have a big problem here Edward, so whatever it was get over it and Jazz will let you go." She said needing all of her family to concentrate on her latest vision if they hoped to prevent it. "Carlisle and Esme will be here soon, so I suggest you either go up to your room or go for a walk, but what you aren't going to do is get any closer to Bella than you are right now." She said her voice growing colder and colder as she spoke. She didn't want to think that her brother would consciously harm Bella but given how angry he was and what she'd seen in her vision, she couldn't risk letting him get too close to the human right now. Bella's death at Edwards hands would be reason enough for her family to run from Forks tonight.

Edwards face slackened as he listened in on Alice's thoughts. His whole body reacted as his anger drained away almost instantly. "That's not true, is it Alice?"

Alice threw up her hands, "You tell me?" she yelled at her brother. It was a possibility, so was a great many things that she'd yet to think of, but her visions hadn't changed. And given what she understood of her power she knew that she was at, or close to, the point in which her vision takes its course and becomes reality or something changes and a new scenario takes its place.

Edward glared at his sister and jerked free from Jasper who'd loosened his grip. He hissed as Bella took a threatening step closer to him. Hood or no, he knew she was enjoying this whole thing. He leaned closer to his sister and almost spat his words at Alice. "She stinks as bad as that damn dog, I wouldn't go near her right now if she begged me to!" Then he turned his glare to the human.

Alice frowned and sniffed then sniffed again just to be sure. Her eyebrows shot up and she took in her brothers appearance more carefully. She tilted her head as another reason for her family's departure presented itself to her. Edward stank of wolf more than Bella did. In fact she could hardly smell the human over the smell of her brother. "Did you kill him?" If he had, then the war had already started and they really were going to be racing against time to get out of Forks safely before the rest of his pack sought out revenge.

Edwards face took on a guarded look as he eyed Alice.

Bella growled beside Alice and snapped her teeth at Edward. "Well did you?" She demanded.

Alice rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she waited for an answer. She could hardly believe Bella was acting concerned now when she had pretty much offered to do the same thing earlier when she was talking to Rosalie down here.

"No. I didn't." Edward muttered. Once again sounding like a sulking teenager.

The human Bella sighed and relaxed a little at that. As guilty as she felt she was glad to know Jake wasn't hurt even if she was angry with him for doing what he'd done.

"Only because I whipped your ass Leech!" Came the laughing voice from outside the house.


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 15**

Bella watched benevolently as Edward raced out to confront the person that had turned up outside uninvited. She didn't feel the need or the want to follow behind him.

Jasper however chased quickly after his brother.

Bella wasn't sure if that was to stop Edward before he could do something stupid, or if he'd gone for backup.

She sighed as Alice began to move. She really didn't see what all the fuss was about. If Edward was going to cause problems why should the rest of them have to clean up after him? He was more than old enough to deal with the consequences of his own actions.

Bella caught Alice's eye for a split second. "Yell if you need me." She instructed the smaller vampire as she too ran out of the house.

She sighed again and looked around the room once more. The human was still at the far end of the room but as Bella stood there, she watched as she edged towards the window of one side of the house. Intrigued, Bella joined her quietly, remaining just to the side and back enough that the hood still protected her identity.

The human gasped and pressed her hands to the pane as two wolves broke the tree line to come and stand by Jacob's side, growling and clawing at the ground beneath their paws as they snapped and snarled at the three vampires across from them.

Bella snorted as the humans heart rate increased at the sight. She could practically smell the fear coming off of her. It made her feel slightly abashed that this pathetic creature was actually her from another lifetime. Bella thought it was ridiculous to be so worried over the outcome of the stand off when both sides out there should have known better.

She stepped closer to Bella and stood behind her to watch the scene unfold. She didn't believe for a second a fight to the death was about to take place. It was all for show after all wasn't it? Nothing more than posturing for the benefit of one little human.

A human three of them saw fit to leave in her company.

Bella blinked and swallowed the venom that had pooled in her mouth and consciously relaxed her suddenly tense muscles. She shook her head and sighed heavily, then eased back a bit from the human.

"Isn't it sweet that they fight over you?" Bella asked the human who glanced over her shoulder nervously before concentrating back outside. "I mean, they're creatures of legends yet they both want to lay claim to the human before me. You must be very special."

Bella shook her head with a deep frown. She knew this was all because of her and she hated it. "I'm not...I'm not anything special."

Bella smirked at that, no, she'd never understood why she'd been hurled into this life. But no matter how things had turned out for her, she'd never regretted her move to Forks.

"True. It does seem that they're more interested in confronting each other than being here for you," She said as if shocked by this while trying to hold back a laugh as both Edward and Jacob shot looks up towards them. "Vampire and all." She added with a shrug by way of explanation of her previous comment.

Bella licked her lips and darted her eyes around the room, not that she'd be able to escape the vampire. She shifted so she could keep the hooded vampire in her sight suddenly more afraid for her own safety than whether or not she'd ever be welcomed back here after today and all the trouble she was causing.

But then she spotted the edge of a smile almost hidden by the hood the stranger still wore and she thought on it a bit more logically. While Edward had always hated Jake, Alice hadn't had as much of a problem with him, and there was simply no way she could believe that Alice would have left her alone with this vampire if she was any sort of a threat to her. Alice just wouldn't have done that, not even for her brother.

The growing sounds of the wolves caught Bella's attention again and she glanced quickly out the glass to see Jacob had transformed and was just as ready to pounce as the other two beside him. She also realised Rosalie and Emmett had joined the fray to stand beside their siblings. "Oh God."

Bella looked on with a touch of disappointment as Carlisle's car came screeching to a halt not far from the stand off and the doctor raced out to join his family. "Well that does it, game over for the dogs I guess." She muttered as Carlisle spoke in calm tones which had Jacob disappearing into the trees only to come back moments later in human form.

As Carlisle, with Esme by his side, attempted to get a clear picture from everyone as to what was going on Bella caught Alice glance up her way. Bella grinned and lifted her hands slightly in a 'what did I do' type of a gesture. Alice just shook her head and turned back to watch her father try to keep Edward in line as Jacob gave his version of events, the two wolves either side of him now sat back peacefully.

"Crisis diverted." Bella mumbled to herself as she dismissed the scene below her and wandered away from the glass and further away from the human stood there.

Bella couldn't hear what was going on now but from the relaxed postures of most of the Cullen's and the fact that the other two wolves had now gone, Bella started to believe nothing bad was going to happen tonight after all. "Good. This is good, right?" She asked over her shoulder at the vampire she'd yet to be properly introduced to. "I'm Bella, by the way."

Bella snorted from her position sat mid way up the stairs to the upper floor. _I make veiled threats and what does she do? Try to make conversation! _Bella rolled her eyes wondering if the Cullen's had found her this exasperating or just annoying. It definitely went a long way to explaining Rosalie's constant sneering of having her around.

"I know." Bella replied making it clear she didn't really care to make small talk. She watched the human though as she turned back to take in Carlisle doing his patriarchal duty by sorting out his sons mess yet again.

"Jake's leaving now." The human muttered with a sigh of her own.

Bella's eyebrows drew together as she pondered at the tone used. "What to go with him? Or just go home?" She asked as the human moved to sit on the far side couch. The sofa seemed to virtually swallow the girl up as she sat down, huddled as if chilled.

"Still need to talk to Edward...if he'll let me."

Bella nodded. She didn't think that was likely, not tonight anyway, due to the fact Carlisle had just ordered Edward to spend the night hunting up north. Which meant Canada. Jasper and Emmett were going along with him, to Rosalie's vocal displeasure.

But Alice had stepped in and said Emmett had to go which settled her sister down some although she was still far from happy. Which was why the other vampire didn't pause in her haste to get to the solitude of her room, actually Bella was a little envious, if she'd had a room of her own to go to that's exactly were she would be herself.

Alas the steps she was seated on would have to do for now.

Carlisle cleared his throat and looked awkward as he Esme and Alice stood there with Bella staring at them with wide eyes from across the room.

"Dinner!" Esme called out with a happy smile as she looked at the girl she felt a deep motherly affection for. "I'll go make you something Bella, then we can all sit and talk." She said given her husband a look which he returned with a grimace. "Good." Esme directed at Carlisle before smiling for Bella once more. "You wait right there, won't be a tick and we'll get all of this sorted out."

Carlisle looked so uncomfortable as human Bella stood shakily to her feet that Bella couldn't keep in the small chuckle that bubbled up.

Carlisle gave the vampire on his stairs a reproachful look before trying to show his lack of concern over the incident that had taken place outside by taking a seat across from the young human. "Why don't we take a seat and we can have a chat once Esme returns with some food for you?" He offered politely, gesturing for Bella to sit back down.

She did, but not before giving a hopeful look Alice's way.

What Alice wanted to do right that second was grab hold of the vampire nearest to her and drag her off somewhere to explain why she'd almost goaded the wolves into fighting! But Bella was looking at her so piteously that Alice was sitting down beside her before she'd consciously decided to move.

That was all it took for Bella to burst out in a flood of tears and lean into the small vampire who pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm so sorry-this is all my fault-I never meant for any of this to happen I swear!"

Bella rolled her eyes from the safety of her hood as Esme soon joined Alice in attempting to comfort the human girl. "Humans." She muttered getting to her feet. If the girl was going to cry so much chances were Esme would insist she spend the night and that meant Bella would end up in Alice's room.

She might not need to sleep herself any more but Bella was suddenly very envious of Rosalie who at least had a room to go and hide out in. Bella turned and headed for the next floor anyway. There was a few empty rooms up there she could hang out in even if they were lacking in functional places to lie down on. The floor was always an option.

Carlisle spotted the departing vampire and seeing Esme and Alice had things relatively under control as they tried to convince Bella she wasn't to blame for Jacob or Edwards actions tonight, he saw his opportunity. He used his speed to reach the bottom of the stairs before Bella could take another step and cleared his throat loudly. He watched the vampire pause a moment before turning to face him. For a second he'd thought she was going to ignore him and continue up the stairs. It reminded him that although she looked the same age as her human counterpart there was more years than his own between the two. Part of him wanted to make it clear he was the head of the house but a more prominent instinct warned him that there was still very little he knew about this vampire and to tread carefully.

Her face he knew as well as his own family, her human life was also greatly known to him but the vampire...she was an unknown quantity. And he had the good sense to fear doing anything to anger her, but in saying that he very much wanted to speak with her.

And the almost fight outside gave him enough reason to want to speak with her.

"As my wife and Alice seem to have things here under control, perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me what I've missed of this evening? In my study?" He asked her as respectfully and as insistently as he could get away with.

Bella pouted. She'd almost been free and clear. She shrugged. "Why not." She replied then danced down the stairs to Carlisle and headed for his study. It was a nice enough room to spend some time in and while she would much rather have preferred Alice's company, it might serve her time here better if she handed Carlisle a few more pieces of the puzzle.

xxxxx

Carlisle gestured to the seat across from his own as he sat at his desk. He rested his hands in front of him as he leaned towards the other vampire. "We may need to come up with a new plan. With the fight between Edward and Jacob, it looks likely that the first hint that she's going to be changed and they could start a war." He explained to her. "I calmed things down but I'm sure the boy will be keeping an eye on things given the hostility between him and my son."

"So I heard." Bella replied shifting in her seat. Jake hadn't been shy when it came to recounting how easily he'd fought Edward to the point that the vampire had run off or risked serious injury. "I also heard Jake tell Edward that she came over tonight to break up with him."

Carlisle nodded solemnly. He'd thought the wolf was only saying that to hurt his son, but when he'd turned to Edward he realised from his stony look that it must have been true. "He's terribly upset."

Bella snorted, she wasn't going to remark on how little she cared for Edwards feelings.

"That's one of the reasons I asked him to go hunt." Carlisle added.

"And the others?" Bella asked giving the older looking vampire a direct stare.

Carlisle sighed. His whole family seemed to be in disarray the least the vampire across from him could do was act a touch concerned over it. "This...impending break up, complicates things."

"I don't see how."

Carlisle stopped cold at that, he couldn't believe she had just said that. "You do understand now that the wedding has to be called off. That Bella will be even more vulnerable now that she isn't with Edward."

Bella shrugged. Grateful he hadn't said that Bella was under Edward's protection. If that was the case he'd done a piss poor job of it so far.

Carlisle looked irritated with her and stood from his chair to go to the window. It was late evening now but being summer there was still a light to the sky. He put his hands in the pockets of his trousers and seemed to get lost in the view before him, dismissing the vampire at his back for the time being. He had much to consider. His family should come first but given his wife and daughter's feelings towards Bella and the guilt they still carried over conceding to Edwards wishes to leave the girl the first time, a move from Forks would have to wait a bit longer.

"It wasn't love with him you know." Bella mentioned, thinking it would go some way in getting Carlisle to start looking at the bigger picture again.

Carlisle turned his head to her. "No, I did gather it wasn't. For you." Her disdain for his son had been crystal clear from the moment he saw them both together.

Bella's lips twitched in amusement as she angled the chair around to him lazily. "Don't think for a second that those tears being shed right now are for him, they'll be for the people she's really afraid of losing tonight. Not your son."

Carlisle's jaw clenched as he turned away from her once more.

Part of him believed her. It was her out there after all now wasn't it. He sighed heavily. The whole situation was difficult enough to deal with, to have Bella decide that now was the right time to break up with Edward was just...an added problem, one Carlisle thought his family could do without.

"You had to know this was coming Carlisle." Bella spoke up quietly, her face serious. "Sooner or later it was going to come to this."

Carlisle turned but made her wait before giving her a nod. "It was always a possibility."

"More of an actuality, from where I'm sitting." Bella replied with a chuckle. She wasn't sorry that the human had come here to break up with Edward, the Jacob thing aside, she was shocked the girl had come to this decision on her own. Bella knew exactly why the Bella past that door was crying her heart out on Esme's shoulder, Edward was her link to this family, with that gone, she risked losing all of them for the second time.

Bella was actually very proud of the girl out there, because even as afraid as she must feel she was still going through with it. She wished she'd had the guts to do that to him way back when.

Carlisle scowled at the other vampire.

He didn't like her attitude. Things were getting more complicated and with the involvement of the wolves today it seemed likely that their earlier plan was of no use to them now.

Carlisle looked up gratefully as Alice knocked and entered the room, he was at a loss as to what to say to Bella. She seemed much more interested in gloating than realising that they now have a very serious problem on their hands. And not a great deal of time to resolve everything and make it work.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt but," Alice began as she stepped into the room trying to judge how things stood between the pair in front of her. "Esme's watching over Bella, she's cried herself to sleep, we took her up to my room."

Carlisle move towards his daughter grateful for her disruption, it gave him an excuse to go think on this some more and talk it over with his wife before attempting to speak to Bella again. "That's fine. Perhaps in the morning she'll feel better."

Bella snorted from her seat.

"In any case I should speak with Esme, there's a lot to discuss before morning." He threw a look at the vampire seated at his desk and shook his head in disappointment. He moved to leave the room and go to his wife. "See if you can talk some sense into her."

Alice closed the door behind her father quickly as she saw the change in Bella Carlisle hadn't.

She locked the door and was beside her friend a moment later, laying a calming hand on her shoulder. "He's just worried, Bella."

Bella yanked away from Alice, her lips curling up in a sneer as anger burned in her eyes. "Where was his worry for me as he stood beside Edward and allowed him to destroy _my_ life!" She demanded to know. "He didn't care for my safety then, did he? And has he forgotten that in a matter of days Edward would have broken up with her anyway?" She ranted at the smaller vampire although she knew she shouldn't be taking this out on Alice.

She snapped her eyes closed and tried to rein in her anger, Alice was the last person to deserve the brunt of her anger.

Alice watched her friend cautiously wondering if her raised and angry voice would have Carlisle heading back to them again. Unsure of what to do next she stepped closer to Bella and attempted to call a vision forth to guide her, but just as she felt her power begin to flow through her body she witnessed Bella's shoulders slump dramatically.

Thinking there was now less chance of Bella destroying the room in a fit of rage Alice allowed her power to bleed off to nothing again and walked across the room until she was shoulder to shoulder with the other vampire. "I don't know what to tell you Bella." She admitted with a sad voice.

A burst of air escaped past Bella's lips as she huffed unhappily and waved away Alice's words. She didn't want sympathy, the past was over with and had been for a long time. But it still had the power to hurt, even after all these years. "Don't worry about it." She said twitching her face muscles to favour her closest friend with a smile.

She waited for Alice to smile back at her then went and plopped down into her chair again, giving it a little spin as she shifted it so she sat facing the seat behind the desk, Carlisle's chair. She grinned and placed her hands behind her head and leaned back, raising her feet to rest them on the desk.

She smiled as Alice chuckled and came over too, taking Carlisle's place as her own. "So, go on, talk some sense into me."

Alice laughed. "I think it's a bit late for that."

"True."

Their eyes met and they both just grinned at each other.

"Did you know Jasper can't 'feel' me?" Alice asked, speaking quietly, still undecided as to her take on Bella shielding her from her husband. She didn't want to sound angry or upset, more than anything she was intrigued as to her friends reasoning for doing it.

Bella looked apologetic. "I didn't mean to cause any problems, you just seemed so upset I wanted you to have some breathing space once we went back inside." She explained.

Alice got that. Privacy was an unknown in the Cullen household most of the time. "I should thank you then."

Bella smiled a little. "I hope I didn't cause any trouble for you."

Alice shook her head. Jasper had overreacted. "You didn't."

"Good."

This topic gave Alice another thought. "Speaking of your powers, is there any way for you to lift your shield for me?" She asked giving her friend her best hopeful look. "It would help a lot if you weren't just blank. I can see around you, like I know what you said to Rose earlier about the wolves because I saw her repeat it to Emmett later, but I still can't see you."

Bella shook her head. "I'd rather not."

Alice frowned. "Why?"

Bella sighed, just as she'd been attempting to get Carlisle to see that Victoria was the main concern, she could see Alice hadn't given much consideration as to where all of this was heading. She got up and rounded the desk to kneel beside Alice. She took the other vampire's hand in her own and gave her a kind look. "The only thing I want you to worry about is if Victoria ever pops up in one of your visions, beyond that it really doesn't matter."

Alice frowned and gripped Bella's hand tighter. "Of course it does!" She disagreed.

"It doesn't." Bella repeated with a shake of her head.

"How can you say that?"

Bella struggled with the accusing look she was receiving. She wasn't trying to shut her friend out, she was merely trying to protect her.

Alice watched her friend carefully, seeing her eyes fail to meet her own caused her to panic. Why wouldn't Bella want her to be able to see her in the future? What was there to be frightened of?

Alice felt her throat constrict as Bella still couldn't make eye contact with her. "What happens that you don't want me to see?" She asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.

Bella bit down hard on her lip as she finally locked her gaze with Alice's. "Something that can't be changed." She said softly, in a whisper so quiet Alice had to lean closer to hear clearly herself.

Alice jerked back with wide eyes. "What does that mean?"

Bella jumped to her feet, why did this have to be so hard for her. She didn't want to discuss this right now, there was no reason for it, why couldn't they all just worry about dealing with Victoria!

"Bella, answer me." Alice demanded as Bella started to back away.

Bella spun around. "Answer you? Why should I have to? You aren't stupid Alice, work it out for yourself if it's so damn important to you!" She said before blurring from the room and the house, no longer able to be stay.

Alice blinked as she was left alone in the room. She could hardly believe that had just happened.

"Argh! She's so...stubborn!" She growled as she took in the now broken door of the room. Off somewhere else in the house she heard Rosalie laugh. It made her growl a warning at her sister. "And just what are you laughing at Rose?" She asked.

"I like her, even if she's stealing my tops." Rosalie muttered from her room.


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16**

Bella sat scowling at the snow that continued to fall. For miles all she could see was a crisp clear blanket of white. Nothing but snow. It matched her mood perfectly. She'd sat there for hours resting against the cliff face, even Rosalie's dark hoodie was almost entirely invisible now.

She huffed and blew snowflakes from her nose.

Suddenly snow poured over the top of the cliff falling onto her and burying her in seconds. Bella didn't react at all, and when the falling snow seemed to stop, she merely shrugged and remained in position. It wasn't like an avalanche of snow would kill her even rocks wouldn't have troubled her.

"Need a hand?" A voice called down with an audible giggle.

An eyebrow rose underneath the mountain of snow even as Alice jumped down and reached in to pull Bella free.

"I spent all day looking for you." Alice said cheerfully as Bella dusted the snow off herself. "The least you can do is say hello."

Bella narrowed her eyes at the smaller vampire for a moment before taking up her seat once more. It had taken hours for the snowdrift to cover her, now she'd be starting from scratch once more.

Alice watched bemused as Bella pulled at the snow to cover her legs before settling back and crossing her arms. Alice rolled her eyes then sat down beside her friend, copying her actions and covering her lower half with snow as well.

Bella smirked at her friend as they sat shoulder to shoulder but remained silent.

"So," Alice began as if Bella hadn't run from her hours earlier. "Esme and Carlisle are handling things back at home. The wolves aren't going to press the issue, that Sam guy talks to Bella and decides Edward and Jacobs squabble wasn't a serious break of the treaty."

Bella grunted. She didn't really care to hear any of this but she wasn't in the mood to going searching for somewhere else to brood.

Alice looked at the vampire beside her for a few long moments. It had shamed her to have to have Rosalie of all people point out why Bella had been upset. Alice should have realised the situation from the very beginning, even Emmett had touched on the subject unknowingly.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

Bella eyed her friend wondering what the small vampire had to apologise for.

"I spend so much time looking to the future that I sometimes miss the things going on right in front of me." Alice explained.

Bella frowned. "This is your fault."

"No, but I never stopped to see what all of this meant for you." Alice replied softly. "I wanted to see if you'd move into one of the rooms in the house, or if I could talk you into going shopping with me...if you come with us when we leave Forks." Alice stared into sad golden eyes before she continue. "But you won't be around for all of that will you?"

Bella had to look away. It was for the best, she had decided that long before her return. "This isn't about me."

"Why the hell not?" Alice growled out. "This should be about you just as much as it should be about keeping the rest of my family safe."

Bella fought the desire to get up and tell Alice she didn't know anything of what she was talking about.

Instead she sat there clenching her jaws tightly, glaring at the snow flakes that began to fall heavily again.

She'd come up with the perfect plan, not too involved and easy enough to be believed by the human. It should have taken her a few days to explain things with the Cullen's, get plan into action and then watch from the shadows while it played out and then it was simply a matter of hunting down Victoria.

And once that was done she'd planned on leaving the Cullen's and the human to sort the rest out amongst themselves. Even with the break up, the Volturi couldn't be put off, Bella would need to be changed or they would all be in danger.

"How can it be with her there?" Bella snapped back at Alice.

Alice paused for a moment, considering. "Is that what this is about? Are you jealous of her?"

Bella snorted looking away again. Of course she was.

Someone else was living her life, and doing it better than she had. She really didn't want to stick around and see what else she would do. Bella already knew the human wouldn't become the violent monster that she was, not with the likes of Esme and Carlisle there to guide her. And the vampire beside her.

The human didn't know how lucky she was.

Alice sighed. "Bella you are a part of this family too." She said softly.

Bella jerked her head around to stare at Alice in disbelief. "To who?" She demanded, wanting to know who exactly cared for her like that, as far as she could tell so far she'd only been viewed as a problem, although Carlisle did eye her with a certain fascination, but that was hardly comforting or welcoming.

"Emmett." Alice murmured which earned her a derisive snort from the vampire beside her. She rolled her eyes. "Okay so he also sees you as a new toy no one is letting him play with, but he does care about you and you know it." She insisted.

Bella had no answer to that.

"And _I _care about too Bella." Alice added in a whisper.

Bella flashed her friend a tooth filled grin. "I gathered." She replied with a chuckle. "Or you wouldn't be here right now." What she didn't mention was the small fact that Alice shouldn't have been able to find her in the first place. Whatever trail she had left would have been buried by snow hours ago, even her scent was almost non-existent.

It shouldn't have been possible to track her all the way here.

"Yeah well, you know what they say Bella; you can run, but you can't hide!" She replied with a smug look.

"Hm."

" So...ready to head back?" Alice asked.

"Do we have too?" Bella wasn't above pouting. Right now she had no wish to return to Forks. She was tired of it, tired of Edward's anger and the expectations that everything would work out. That's why she wanted so desperately to focus on Victoria, she was the one thing Bella could deal with without causing a problem. She couldn't harm Edward, much as she wanted to, and even the wolves were a gray area.

It frustrated Bella to do nothing over the wolves, even after hearing of the destruction and deaths they had caused Carlisle still did nothing.

Alice listened to the low growl coming from her friend and took the time to search out her parents future, first Esme and then Carlisle. She sighed and gave Bella a nod. "I guess we can stay a while."

The rumbling stopped. "Yeah?" Bella was surprised, she'd expected Alice to want them to get going as quickly as possible given how volatile things around the Cullen's house could get.

Alice shrugged. "Edward attempts to get our parents to agree to leaving, but Esme refuses before he finishes talking, Rose and Em refuse to leave too." She said grinning at the shock in Bella's face at the mention of her sister. "Esme loves you,"

"Her." Bella cut in.

"And she won't leave _her_ to deal with Victoria alone, even once the redhead has been dealt with Esme now considers her a part of the family, whether or not Edward agrees, she will still be turned. Esme will do it if Carlisle won't."

Bella couldn't believe she was hearing this. "And they'll agree to this?" She asks bewildered.

Alice nods her head as she grinned. "Like I said, you're a part of this family."

Bella couldn't hold the grin back. Maybe given time, Esme might have offered her the same thing if she'd had the opportunity to live long enough to find out.

"I thought that would put a smile on your face."

Bella sighed and raked her fingers through the snow on either side of her. With a happy grin she scooped up a handful and pressed it to Alice's shocked face.

"Didn't see that coming did ya?" Bella asked leaping up and taking off at a dead run.

"Oh ho." Alice said wiping the snow away and standing. She couldn't see Bella anywhere as the snow continued to fall around her. She closed her eyes for a moment then with a grin took off after the older vampire. "Paybacks Bella, paybacks."

xxxx

**AN**/ I know. Short. But this really shouldn't be in here, I wrote it because we've had like two feet of snow fall in the last day or two. :D Snow's so much fun! I'm loving this weather and just had to share in my own little way.

I am still trying to work the Bellice angle. These things just take time. I also don't think there'll be a second story to this - I'm probably just going to cover everything in this one.

Next time.

And thanks for reading! :P


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 17**

Emmett growled as two of the Quileute boys laughed a few feet away and eyed them with distaste. He hated being there, close to the reservation, as Carlisle answered Sam's need for 'clarification' over the fight Edward had got into with Jacob.

Rosalie placed her hand on his arm in a tight grip. "Easy." She whispered, not that she wanted to be here anymore than Emmett did, but there was little choice unless they really did want to start a war right now. There was too much going on with her family for that.

Emmett grunted unhappily but relaxed his stance and turned to stare at Rose, doing his best to ignore the smug looks the younger boys wore.

Sam threw Paul a glare to try and keep him in line. Neither side enjoyed this but it was the only way to be sure where each party stood. He turned back to Carlisle, doing little to hide his disgust at the vampires scent.

"As I was saying, Jacob tells me Bella didn't return home this morning." He said lifting an eyebrow.

Carlisle flashed him a quick smile. "Bella has always been welcome in our home." He answered politely. The atmosphere was definitely tense but with Jacob and Edward missing it was unlikely to get out of hand. At least that had been the idea when this meeting had been called for by the pack Alpha.

"That...is a concern." Sam replies as he notices Paul begin to shake. He eyes the younger boy and Paul eventually controls himself.

Carlisle acts indifferent. "Bella can decide for herself where she wishes to spend her time. As I said; she's welcome to remain in our home for as long as she desires."

Sam clearly wasn't happy with that arrangement. "Then I guess you'll just have to get used to the occasional visitor."

"Like hell!" Emmett growled, exposing his teeth to the wolves as he moves past his Rosalie, his movements edgy, as he prepared himself for any attack by one of the wolves.

"Emmett." Carlisle says in warning to his son to remain calm.

"No!" Emmett replies to Carlisle before glaring at Sam once again. "So she broke up with Ed, big deal, that doesn't give you the right to tell her she can't stay over!" He yelled.

Paul grinned at him from behind Sam. "Vampires can't be trusted around humans."

Rosalie hissed at the boy. "Edward never hurt Bella, but from what I hear you can't say the same about your human, can you Sam?" She said giving the head of the wolf pack a knowing look.

"Okay, that's enough." Carlisle cut in before things could get any worse.

"Agreed." Sam replied coldly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Expect those visitors." He repeated before turning and taking off back towards his land with Jared and Paul following closely behind him.

Carlisle watched the three wolf's race off then turned and began the walk back to his own home in silence.

Emmett looked proudly at Rose. "Told him good Rose."

Rosalie worked her jaw, staring in the direction the wolves had taken off in. Her body could still feel them nearby. She wanted to rip their throats out and watch the flea bags bleed out on the forest floor. "They need to be leashed. Soon." She ground out. "If Carlisle won't..."

Emmett grinned happily at the prospect and rubbed his hands together with glee. "Those dogs aren't the only ones around here that can bite." He said with a nod, his eyes lighting up.

xxxxxx

Bella's heart pounded as she looked at the clock again. Carlisle, Emmett and Rose had only been gone nearly twenty minutes but she was extremely nervous.

"Do you think its going okay?" She asked Esme as the woman placed a steaming bowl chicken broth in front of her.

"Oh, I'm sure everything will get sorted out." Esme replied.

Jasper remained silent on the other side of the table. He'd wanted to be a part of the meeting but Carlisle had said Emmett's presence would do. He was grateful he didn't have to deal with the stench of the wolves in close quarters but the waiting didn't sit well with him.

He was also worried about Alice.

Bella kept her eyes on the bowl in front of her and attempted to ignore everything going on. It was hard though. She loved Jacob like a brother and she'd always tried not to give him the wrong idea about the extent of her feelings towards him, but she'd made the mistake of telling him she had doubts over Edward being the love of her life.

She'd asked for his thoughts because she didn't want to say too much when she was still struggling to understand her own emotions, and he'd told her of a werewolf's ability to imprint.

It had made her feel jealous that she would never experience such a love. To know with just a look that someone was meant just for you. Human, vampire, werewolf...wasn't that what everyone wanted to find? To not spend their lives on this earth alone.

She'd been so caught up in his tale that she'd failed to notice how close he'd come to her, and before she could react he'd pressed his lips to hers. She shoved him away but by then the damage had been done. She was getting sick and tired of everyone thinking they knew what she wanted.

"Carlisle is close by." Edward said quietly from the doorway.

Bella flinched at the sound of his voice and only just managed to keep from spilling her soup over the table.

Edward growled quietly in his chest at her nervousness. He also resented the decision Carlisle had made to leave Jasper here, or more to the point, the reason behind it. Carlisle didn't trust Edward being alone with Bella.

Edward had listened to his fathers thoughts, insisting it was more to keep Bella calm than to control him, but Edward wasn't fooled.

"Edward. Perhaps you should go out and greet him." Esme said, starring at her son as his eyes took in Bella who'd yet to look in his direction. "Edward?" She asked again as the vampire remained unmoving. She could detect Bella's heart rate start to increase.

Jasper frowned at his brother. "I'll come with you." He said standing and moving towards Edward, gripping his arm and forcing him into motion.

"Well..." Esme struggled with her explanation. She couldn't very well say everything was going to be okay because Bella was more than aware how difficult the situation was.

"It's okay Esme," Bella said, a wry smile on her face. "This is Edward's home."

Esme sighed, taking the now forgotten about soup from the human. "True."

"Maybe I should go home, I mean, it's not just Edward, you have a visitor staying here too." Bella continued drawing Esme's attention again. "I'm probably just in the way."

Esme didn't know what to say given the complexity of the circumstances. The human girl was to remain unaware of the identity of their 'visitor' so it was understandable that she might feel uncomfortable staying with them longer, although Edwards presence might have also been a factor.

Esme walked over and clasped Bella's hand. "I think it would be safer for you to stay dear...things are, unstable right now with the pack, after Carlisle returns then we can talk again."

Bella stared into the compassionate golden eyes of the vampire in front of her. Even after breaking her sons heart Esme hand been as kind as she had always been to her.

"Okay." Bella agreed. As awkward as it was around Edward, she still felt more at home in this house than at Charlie's.

"Thank you." Eseme smiled gratefully and pulled the girl into her arms.

Bella blushed painfully but managed to return the embrace. Feeling slightly self-conscious when they broke apart, Bella struggled to find something to say as she worked a hand through her hair as she stood there. _Where's Alice when you need her?_

"Oh, that will be Carlisle. Come let's find out how it went." Esme said, hearing the arrival of her husband and children before they got to the house.

Bella nodded as Esme lead her through into the main room. She found a seat out of the way and waited for Carlsile to begin. She frowned realising Alice was the only one not there. "Shouldn't we wait for Alice?"

Carlisle turned to the girl. "I don't think it can wait, we'll catch her up on things when she returns."

Bella was disappointed that Alice wasn't around, although Esme had gone to great lengths to make her comfortable, there was a tension she could feel coming from the others. _Most of the others. _She grinned as Emmett came over and dropped down with a bounce into the space beside her.

"Don't worry Bells, I'm sure Alice knows more about what's going on than we do." He said with a knowing grin.

Carlisle cleared his throat as Bella eyed Emmett.

Emmett shrugged at Carlisle unrepentant. They all knew Alice had gone off after vampire Bella.

"So what happened?" Esme asked trying to get the conversation back to the issue at hand, finding out if he wolves would be a problem.

Carlisle sighed. "It could have gone better."

Rosalie snorted from beside Edward and Jasper. "Yeah we could have laid down and let them walk all over us." She muttered too quietly for Bella to hear. "Ah, but they practically did that anyway."

"What does she mean?" Esme asked turning to her husband.

Carlisle had been trying to put off explaining for as long as he had to, but with Edward around he knew it would be better to come from him.

"It means that they no longer trust us-"

"Did they ever?" Rosalie mumbled.

"And will be keeping a close eye on the house while Bella remains here." Carlisle said ignoring his outspoken daughter.

Esme frowned. That didn't sound good. She looked to Bella and then to her husband, arching her eyebrow meaningfully.

Carlisle grimaced. "Unless we want things to deteriorate further, there's little we can do about it. Everyone will just have to be careful and do their best to not stir things up if they do come around here."

Jasper bit his lip. He didn't like the sound of this at all. To have the wolves keeping watch over them while they still had to deal with Victoria's arrival was a distraction that could have serious consequences for his family.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to speak to Bella." He suggested to his father in a voice to low for Bella to pick up on.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle answered back.

Jasper didn't see any other option. Time was an issue and they couldn't waste it dealing with the Quileute pack. "She needs to leave. Try and get her to visit her mother, like she said, get the human out of the way."

Esme nodded as Carlisle gave the idea serious consideration.

"Come Bella, I think we need to talk." Esme said with an encouraging look on her face as she took the girl by the arm and lead her out of the room.

Edward was fuming. "You can't be serious!" He hissed at his brother once it was safe to speak.

"Hey, sounds good to me." Emmett said from his relaxed position on the sofa.

"You would think that." Edward said dismissively turning to his father instead as he ignored Rosalie's annoyed rumble. "You can't agree to this."

Carlisle shrugged. He could see Edward's anger but he had to think of more than just his son's feelings. This impacted the rest of his family too. "It would remove an issue." He said.

"And cause an even bigger one!" Edward hissed back.

Emmett frowned, but flashed Rose a smile as she sat down beside him. "How?" He asked turning back to the argument going on.

"How?" Edward repeated dumfounded his brother could even ask. "What do we do when one of those mutts spots a vampire instead of a human? You said it'll solve one problem, but what's to stop them showing up here anyway?" He asked.

A giggle from the staircase stopped any further discussion.

Alice grinned as everyone in the room turned to stare at her and the vampire beside her.

"Didn't even hear them." Jasper muttered, disconcerted at Bella's ability to mask his wife so completely.

Edward growled at the hooded vampire.

Bella sighed pulling the hood down as she detected the human was upstairs. She inhaled then rolled her eyes at the unwelcome smell. "So where do things stand now?"

Edward made a noise. "What do you care? Why don't you just take off again? We'll deal with this, it's a family matter."

"Bella is family." Rosalie said, stunning almost everyone in the room.

"Damn right she is." Emmett agreed.

"Guess that's settled." Bella sniggered and moved across the room to take a seat closer to Emmett and Rose.

Alice's eyes twinkled as she looked at her brother and sister. It was nice to know she was right about the pair, that they at least, cared for Bella almost as much as she did.

"I should go join Esme, it will be easier to get Bella to agree that way." She said getting an understanding look from the vampire across the room. She headed up the steps. "And next time Rose, let Carlisle do all the talking."

Bella hide her grin behind her hand as the other vampire scowled and folded her arms across her chest. Emmett didn't even attempt to hold in his laughter.

Edward's brows drew together as he listened in on his brother's thoughts before levelling Bella with a glare.

"So," Bella asked looking around the room. "What did I miss?"

xxxxxx

**AN**/ Turns out there is such a thing as too much snow :( Though I'd say it's more to do with the fact that my local council SUCK! We have three foot of snow on the pavements and they seem to be waiting for the sun to show up and melt it away! Getting anywhere is slow going for most people, can't even imagine how hard it is for the elderly folks around here. Cost cutting bunch of F*ckers.

Anyway, hope you lot are safe and sound this holiday season :D Uni was cancelled so I wrote this instead of studying.


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 18**

Bella was sat out on the back porch, night had fallen again but she wore the hood of Rosalie's borrowed top as she was wary of prying eyes. There were no wolves out there she knew, she'd sense them long before she saw them, but she still had to be careful as the human was still upstairs.

The girl had been reluctant to leave Forks when Esme had suggested it. But she'd agreed fairly quickly to visiting her mother when Alice had explained it could be the last chance she got before her changing. There had been a few seconds of silence, filled with the thundering beats of the humans heart before she'd struggled to form her reply, agreeing to leave whenever Esme could arrange it.

Esme had been thrilled. But she'd left the explaining to Alice and had gone to speak with Carlisle and book the flight.

Bella eyed the upper floor disdainfully.

Alice was still up there. The human was too excited at the prospect of seeing her mother again and she'd also, shyly, expressed her gratefulness that Alice and Esme still thought of her as family even with her breakup and now with the trouble the wolves were causing...no doubt the human wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

Bella hissed quietly in annoyance, then focused back out at the tree line as felt someone approach behind her.

Rosalie marched out and sat down beside Bella gracefully. "Edward's stalking the hallway upstairs. Just thought you'd like to know."

Bella eyed the blonde. "Okay." She wasn't sure why Rosalie was telling her this but whatever, she didn't much care.

"Emmett wanted to bet on if he follows her to Florida or not." She continued.

Bella snorted. "He always was a bit of a creeper."

Rosalie smiled, turning to the older vampire. "Not around you though. Wonder why that is?" She arched an eyebrow in the hopes Bella would let her in on why there was so much hostility going on between the pair.

Bella's expression darkened and she held Rosalie's gaze silently for a few seconds before muttering, "He's an ass."

Rosalie laughed out loud drawing Emmett's attention away from the computer game he was playing with Jasper. "Besides that."

Bella shrugged.

"You loved him once." Rosalie said softly, her interest in this Bella causing her to keep asking although that probably wasn't very prudent.

Bella scoffed. "We were all young and stupid once Rose."

"Some of us still are!" Emmett yelled from his spot on the couch causing Bella to look back at him over her shoulder with a grin on her face.

Bella turned back to Rosalie, leaning closer as she enquired, "Did Em just admit to being stupid?" She had just started to chuckle when Emmett charged at her from behind. She simply waited for him to leap at her and shifted her body to the side causing him to sail past and crash down into the lawn below with a yelp.

Rosalie glanced down at her husband who was slowly picking his face out of the dirt. She rolled her eyes at his behaviour and sat back. Bella was trying to hold back her laughter but Rosalie just smiled. As much as she loved Emmett he wasn't the smartest tool in the shed, but then, he had never claimed to be. Besides, he had his good points.

She lost her smile as she thought on the past few hours. "We screwed up with the wolves didn't we?" She asked the vampire beside her in a quiet voice.

Bella shrugged. True, Alice had seen a different outcome to the meeting but pointing the finger wouldn't change anything and there hadn't been any guarantee the wolves would have kept to their word anyway. "It matters little at this stage Rose."

"Because Victoria is the real threat?" Rosalie ventured a guess.

"Yes." Bella replied with a decisive nod. As annoying as the wolves were, and as dangerous as they could be, there was still no reason yet for them to be worrying too much about them.

"But they could still attack. Especially if she remains here and that dog demands to see her." Rose adds.

That was true. Even Bella had to acknowledge that given Jacobs feelings he could very easily be the one to start something, just seeing Edward would probably be enough to set the young wolf off.

Bella shrugged again. "They aren't hard to kill and their unique...scent, leaves them little opportunity for a surprise attack. If you pay close attention to your surroundings for the foreseeable future then they won't cause us any problems at all." She insisted.

Jasper had approached the pair from behind after Emmett had taken a header but he'd listened quietly until now. "You speaking from personal experience?" He'd never fought a wolf before and it had sounded like Bella had.

Bella chuckled and leaned back to meet his gaze. She displayed her fangs as she grinned at him. "Never lost a fight yet." She boasted. At first she'd killed out of hurt and pain at having lost her family to them, but then she'd begun to take pleasure from the hunt and the skills she'd learned along the way. It had taken years for her to get that thirst for revenge out of her system.

She sighed thinking back on some of her early kills, she wasn't entirely sure if she'd cared about losing, maybe she would have even welcomed it.

Emmett grunted as he sat down on the other side of Rosalie, having rid himself of any remaining dirt. "You killed a few then Bells? I'm impressed."

Bella bobbed her head from side to side as she considered how honest to be. "Hunted, slaughtered, made them virtually extinct. Yeah, I guess you could say I've killed a few."

Emmett whistled admiringly as Rose and Jasper gaped at the information.

It took Jasper a few moments to compose himself once more. "How many are we talking?" He asked sure that she must be exaggerating.

Bella looked at the faces around her curiously. "Do you really want details?" This wasn't stuff she'd thought herself able to tell them, but she'd realised on her way back with Alice that she either had to start acting like she was a part of this family or she'd forever be on her own.

"Uh huh." Emmett replied quickly, eager for the tale of death he wished to have been party to.

Bella noticed that same look in Jasper and Rosalie's eyes. She nodded in agreement. She would tell them bits and pieces and test out how much they could stomach of the vampire she'd become without them around.

"Alice?" She called softly knowing her friend would easily hear her from her room upstairs.

"Yes?" Came the floating voice in reply.

Bella smiled at the sound but was saddened that the vampire was not able to join them.

"You gonna be okay up there if we take off and do a quick check on those mutts and maybe grab a change of clothes for..._us_." She asked mainly referring to Edward's still lurking presence. She smiled as she heard Rosalie snort beside her guessing she hadn't been a subtle as she'd thought.

"We'll be fine. You will share your tales with me later won't you?"

Bella chuckled as she stood, she could easily tell the dark haired vampire was pouting. "Of course." She replied trying to sound insulted at the suggestion that she wouldn't.

Jasper eyed the vampire as she started down a path that led into the woods. He wasn't sure what was going on with Bella and his wife but he couldn't help from worrying. The pair had an ease with each other that he hadn't witnessed before. Or maybe he was simply jealous at the lack of alone time he himself had lately with Alice. He felt neglected and that was telling in itself. When Bella had been human, Alice had constantly been beside him to assure him things would be okay, that his blood thirst wouldn't control him with her near.

He sighed before moving to catch up with the others who were already disappearing from view. He had a lot to think about, but right now he intended to listen very carefully to everything the vampire had to say.

xxxxx

Alice remained quiet as she listened to those footsteps outside her room head off down the stairs. She wondered if her brother was stupid enough to go after Bella. Sure, listening to her describe her battles with werewolves was an appealing prospect but did Edward really think she'd take kindly to having him follow her around?

She rolled her eyes as she realised his steps had carried him to Carlisle's study.

Bella had been watching her vampire friend closely in the last few minutes. She'd seen the changes in her expression and the quickly moving lips and had known she was talking to someone else in the house. It annoyed her a little to know there could be whole conversations going on around her that she wasn't part of but then she thought that maybe it was better if she didn't know too much of what was going on. She wasn't sure how she would feel if they were arguing because of her. She'd already caused too many problems for this family, but she didn't have it in her to stay away from them.

Especially if it meant staying away from Alice.

"Everything okay?" She asked once Alice seemed to refocus back on her.

"Yes." Alice replied easily. "Esme has booked you on a flight out tomorrow evening coming back in about two weeks."

Bella opened her mouth to protest at the length she be gone if she agreed to that but Alice spoke up quickly again. "Think about it Bella, really think." The vampire implored touching Bella's hand. "This could be the very last time you see her, that she sees you. Don't give that up."

Bella scowled and Alice worked hard not to smile at the sight.

"Okay." Bella replied eventually. "I guess two weeks it is." She said in resignation. It felt like much too long to her but Alice was right. She owed it to her mother not to rush their last moments together. It would be the last Renee had to remember her by.

"Good." Alice said thinking that had gone much easier than she'd been expecting it too. She listened as Esme confirmed the flight booking to her now that Bella had agreed. "All done." She said with a smile. "Now, what would you like to do?"

Bella swallowed nervously and licked her lips, looking at her friend with a slightly fearful gaze. "Can we...uh talk?"

xxxxxx

"You can do that? Just – rip it off?" Emmett asked curious as to the mechanics involved in doing such a thing.

Rose made a face not really wanting Bella to go into detail. She'd said more than enough already. And the fond smile as she spoke had the hairs on the back of her neck standing to attention.

Bella chuckled. "Not at first." She admitted. "It took a while before I could do it but I had practise, and yeah, I can skin one alive."

Rosalie visibly shivered and quickened her pace to leave the other three behind.

Jasper smiled affectionately as his sister took off. He knew Rose didn't have a weak stomach, he'd see her in a fight and she could kill as easily as the rest of them, but there was something in the way Bella retold these hunts that tested even his ability to not react. He had seen and done many horrific things in his time as a vampire in the wars down South, but he'd never skinned a werewolf just to see if he could do it without killing it and having it return to its human form.

"I'm sure it's a good skill to have mastered, though hopefully you'll have little use of it now." Jasper remarked sounding both impressed and respectful as was his way.

Bella conceded that it was unlikely that she'd be called to torture any of the wolves around here with a flash of her teeth. She knew Carlisle wouldn't allow himself to stand by and let such a thing from happening, he was too kind hearted for that. "You never know." She sent Jasper a wink, feeling the need to let him know, albeit not very overtly, that there wasn't really a line she wouldn't cross if it served her to. "I've got plenty of other skills I can test out."

Then she chuckled and turned to Emmett with a shrug. "And it made a lovely rug."

Emmett roared in laughter at the thought of having a werewolf hide lying out on the floor at home.

"Come on, lets catch up before Rose tries to start dressing me as well." She uttered before beginning a jog towards the Swan house.

Jasper snorted in place beside her.

"Oh, no chance," Emmett said looking at her as they cut through the forest. "That's Alice's job." He grinned and broke into a run when Bella reacted with an outraged squeal.

Jasper slowed to a walk, watching as Bella chased Emmett through the trees. It was all in fun he knew, but as he studied Bella's movements he was easily impressed as she flowed naturally around the trees and underbrush. Emmett was much larger and occasionally broke branches as he tried to avoid her outstretched arms as much as he could but Bella had a grace he often witnessed in his wife as she moved around a room.

Bella broke nothing. Made no sound, other than her laughter.

And it didn't even look like she was trying. She tagged Emmett several times before he had enough of her teasing and raced after her instead.

"Amazing." He muttered to himself not for the first time.

As he continued on towards the house in the distance he wondered at the duplicity of Bella, she could seem so carefree and happy, as she was chasing his brother around, yet from the things she had described to them...the person that had carried out those actions was all killer, with no care for her victims. He didn't want to admire her they way he did but honestly, he was grateful to have her on their side in what was to come.

To go against her...well, that would take someone more foolish than he.

xxxxx

Rosalie sighed loudly as Bella and Emmett came to a skidding halt in front of her. Bella's hood had fallen in the rough play with her husband and she tutted at them while reaching over and pulling the cloth back into place.

Bella smiled her thanks and adjusted the hood into place.

"Honestly you two."

Emmett couldn't keep the smile from his face so bowed his head in the hopes of looking more repentant. "Sorry babe." He said. "Bella totally started it though." He added receiving a push from the other vampire that knocked him off balance.

"I did not!" Bella protested

"Well actually," Jasper intervened hoping to prevent anything that would draw attention to them given they were now out in the open. "I think it was the thought of Rosalie picking out your clothes that set you both off."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes at the other vampire who did her best to look innocent of the accusation.

"Whatever. Lets get this over with." She said turning around moving for the front door.

Bella gave Jasper a displeased look. "Thanks for that." She said sarcastically.

Jasper just grinned and followed Rose. "You're welcome."

Bella rolled her eyes as Emmett laughed in relief that for once he wasn't in his wife's bad books.

She paused with a frown when Rosalie knocked on her front door. "What are you doing?" She asked reflexively.

"Knocking?" Rose replied slowly in case it wasn't so obvious to Bella.

Bella's frown deepened. "Why?"

Rosalie sigh then turned to face Bella. "I'm thinking your dad wouldn't take kindly to us breaking and entering if he's passed out asleep on the couch. Anyway, maybe you'd like him to pick your clothes instead."

Bella ignored the dig. "You can't tell no one's in?" She enquired, truly puzzled. Her head tilted to the side as she stared at the blonde. "Where's the nearest human, ignoring the cars passing by." She added as she heard a car approaching their stretch of the road.

Rosalie glared but when she realised Bella wasn't mocking her she did as she was asked, she closed her eyes and listened. "There." She said pointing to the house nearby. "Two heartbeats."

Bella nodded. "The next?" She asked, wanting to know just how much of their natural instincts had been suppressed with the years on years spent mixing in classrooms full of heartbeats.

Rosalie struggled now, oh she could hear them, lots of them, but telling the distance from one to the next wasn't something she'd ever been asked to do. "Urgh. That house. Two." She answered although less sure of herself this time.

"Three, but close." Bella replied.

Jasper could feel his sisters frustration and quickly pointed out the numbers and whereabouts of the other close humans before asking, "Is this important for some reason?"

Bella simply shrugged. "Might be."

Emmett just glanced around at them, not particularly bothered with other humans. "So Papa Swan's not home, who gets to break and enter then?" He asked looking between Bella and Rosalie.

Bella snorted then raced over to the large tree and made quick work of getting up to her room. "You guys just pay attention in case Charlie does turn up." She said to them as she worked the latch and ducked in through the window before starting a search for the latest batch of clothes Alice had bought. She'd liked them.

"Ugh...B-ow! Dammit Rose!" Emmett's voice rang out from below and Bella grinned as she carried on stuffing pairs of jeans and tees into a holdall before moving to a pair of trainers and adding those.

Rosalie glowered at her husband and gave him a look to be quiet. "We're about to have a problem down here sis." She muttered hoping Bella was paying attention. "There's something tainting the air."

Emmett grunted. "Yeah it stinks and the damn thing aint even here yet." He grumbled crossing his arms across and staring off into the trees at the side of the driveway.

That stopped Bella and she stood and approached her window carefully. Making sure her hood was in place and keeping herself from view as down below a large wolf thundered towards the vampires on the ground.

She grinned in excitement as she recognised Jacob in his true form. It spoke volumes that he so willingly came at them when it was possible he could be seen by the neighbours.

Rosalie hissed as her family closed ranks and faced the growling wolf. She crouched lower, getting ready to attack or defend herself as she saw the anger reflected in its eyes. "Are you going to break the treaty, here, in plain sight?" She hissed at him, also recognising that it was Jacob before them. The wolf may be young and stupid but it had to realise that going up against three vampires, make that four counting the one it hadn't seen yet, was nothing short of suicide.

The wolf just kept growling, its face lowered, ready to attack as its tail swished from side to side.

"Bring it on dog!" Emmett muttered, more than ready to get into it.

Jacob snapped his jaws at them and inched closer, warning them to leave. This was his place, and they had no right to be here. His teeth snapped at them again as he moved slowly, all the time keeping them in front of him, biding his time, waiting for his chance.

Jasper recognised that the wolf wasn't about to all out attack them, yet anyway, and it was clear it didn't want them there but he gripped the backs of his siblings tops and kept a firm hold as they circled the wolf. He didn't want either of the two attacking first, and he trusted his own reactions enough that he'd be able to push the pair out of the way if the wolf leapt at them.

When Jacob had his back to the Swan house his stepped closer to the vampires, snapping at them again and again until they backed away further.

Bella took all of the manoeuvring in with a shake of her head. Again she was disappointed to see that once more it was all for show. She watched with disgust as Jacob stood in front of her house still growling at the Cullen's.

"I'm telling you, he pisses next and I'll come down and neuter him myself." She said aloud gaining all the attention.

She ignored the warning yells from Rose and Jasper as they raced forward to grab at the surging wolf who'd roared in rage at seeing her figure in the bedroom window. She let out a laugh as the wolf jumped onto the tree just before Jasper's hands reached him. Scrambling quickly up the tree, the wolf locked eyes with her and she grinned at him, a slit second before it leapt towards her still frame, jaws wide, teeth gleaming.

She didn't understand why the others were so worried for her. Even now, crying for her to look out, to be carful as they raced to her aid.

Had they not listened to anything she'd said?

xxxxxxxx

**AN/** Hey so, everyone have a great day? Good. Me? Ugh, some of us had to work :( Unfair.

But for anyone reading my other fic Follow, I should have a new chapter up tomorrow. Yay!

Anyways, thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

**Part 19**

The sound of Bella's fist making contact with Jacob's jaw had even Emmett wincing in sympathy. The crash of the tree as it fell over as the wolf crashed backwards into in rocked the ground like an earthquake.

"Huh." Bella muttered, her eyes widening a little as she took in the scene below her window. Jacob was sprawled out unconscious, underneath him the remains of the once proud tree scattered the front yard. "Oh boy." She muttered to herself before shaking her head and going back into her room to pick up her holdall, no sense in leaving without it after all.

With its strap pulled over her shoulder Bella jumped from her window and landed without a sound close to the others who had crowed around the fallen wolf.

"How come he's still a dog?" Emmett asked wondering why the boy hadn't changed back yet.

Bella shrugged looking down at the large wolf with a frown. This was definitely going to be a problem, she glanced around quickly, grateful for the fading light but she knew it wasn't dark enough to prevent the neighbours from looking out their windows or even coming over to investigate the noise from the felled tree.

"You okay?"

Bella blinked in surprise at Rosalie's question, not at the question itself but at the level of concern in not only her voice but in her face as she studied her. Bella opened her mouth to allay the blonde's fears but before she could say anything Rosalie had captured her hand and was inspecting it closely.

Bella smiled, touched at Rosalie's actions. She curled her still held hand around the blonde's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm fine." She replied as golden eyes lifted to her own.

Rosalie stared at her a moment then nodded, and released the other vampire's hand. "Good. Then maybe you can do something with him, before all the humans come over and see the naked boy that took down a tree." She said in a sharp tone before turning and walking away heading for the forest.

Bella's eyes jerked down to Jacob to see he had in fact returned to his human form. She smiled, that at least was one less thing to worry about. Her grin widened as she knelt to look at him more closely and considered briefly how easily it would be to end the boys life here and now.

Just a little pressure to his neck, he wouldn't feel a thing. Here one minute, gone the next.

_It'd be so easy._

Bella stopped breathing as her eyes darkened and trained themselves to just the right spot on his neck, she could picture her hand there, fitting against his skin, a twist of her wrist and then…

"I'll carry him."

Bella jerked to a standing position so quickly that she had to take a step back in order to keep her balance.

"Huh?" She looked from Jasper's expectant face to Jacob lying prone on the ground and swallowed down the venom that had pooled in her mouth. "Oh." She took another step back and watched as Jasper bent down and scooped Jacob into his arms easily.

It was only now as Jasper looked back at her that she realised she had missed exactly what he'd been saying."Carry him where?" She asked in confusion.

Jasper sighed. The boy's weight barely registered in his arms but he didn't want to stand around talking about this for long, Rose was right to leave and they all needed to, Jacob included. "He's injured, I'll bring him to Carlisle then I can leave him closer to the reservation."

Bella snorted and looked to the silent Emmett, hoping that sounded just as stupid to him as it did to her.

Emmett just grinned at Bella. "Not my call." He said with a shrug then took off after his wife with a laugh. "Wait till Esme finds out your bring a dog home!"

Bella rolled her eyes as Jasper stood patiently beside her. "Fine, whatever. I'll just point out for the record that this is a bad idea." Made more so because her body was thrumming with the near kill. As much as she could Bella tried to relax her body but she was tense, if she was lucky Jasper would pass it off as reluctance at having to take Jacob with them.

Jasper suppressed a grin as they followed after his siblings. "Probably. But there were limited options, we could have left him here for anyone to find or taken him back to the reservation now, neither of which would have been without problems."

Bella let out a long suffering sigh. "That's all he is Jasper, one big pain in the ass problem." Talking was a good distraction. Giving the boy in Jasper's hold another glance. This time she noticed the trail of blood coming from his nose. _Broken most likely._ She hadn't hit him that hard and if she hadn't stopped him more than the tree would have been damaged. Actually, Bella was more annoyed at the loss of the tree than she was at any damage the mutt would suffer, unlike the tree the dog would recover._If he makes it to the Cullen house alive._

Jacob groaned and rolled his head but remained unconscious.

"Maybe I should have hit him harder." Bella muttered with a scowl on her face looking away from the boy she had long stopped thinking of as a friend. "Dammit." She said angrily. Killing him in the heat of the moment would have been perfect, he'd attacked first after all, his pack wouldn't have had a cause for retaliation. Not that their honour could be trusted.

Jasper said nothing as they continued walking side by side back to the house. He still couldn't read Bella's emotions but he thought maybe that was a good thing for once, he rather enjoyed not having to deal with a barrage of unwanted feeling, his own conflicting thoughts on tonight's precedings were more than enough for him to work through.

He could understand Bella's hesitancy in what they were doing but that didn't stop him believing that it was the right thing to do. Carlisle would sort out what should be done after he had seen to Jacob.

xxxxxx

"Are you happy now? Did you get what you wanted?" Edward demanded of Bella. He held her solely responsible for this dangerous turn of events. "Do you have any idea of the trouble you've caused? The position you've placed my family in?"He asked furious with her.

Bella sighed and crossed her arms over her chest trying to control the shaking in her hands while doing her best to ignore the vampire that was hissing at her from across the room.

_He talks big for someone too afraid to get near me_. She thought with an amused snort that released some of the anger build-up in her body.

From the second she'd stepped into the house behind Jasper, Edward had been glaring at her. Carlisle had been ready for Jacob and had swiftly instructed Jasper to carry the injured wolf into his study and they had disappeared along with Esme to see what they could do for him.

"It wasn't my idea to bring him here." She muttered darkly still annoyed about that, she didn't want any of his kind here just as much as the rest of them.

She had spent her life living in the aftermath of this mutt's actions. Who was Edward to be talking to her this way? Like she didn't already understand what could come of this.

She growled softly, internally berating herself at not having rid herself of the problem when she was handed the opportunity.

She wouldn't make that mistake again, she had let past memories of this family cloud her better judgment. What the hell was _she_ playing at, she knew the wolves were close to breaking point, looking for any excuse to attack, well she'd given them it now by hurting Jacob.

It probably wouldn't matter to them who had attacked first, and why should it, this fight was coming and had been from the moment the Cullen's had settled in Forks.

Wolves and vampires were natural enemies, and with such a young pack, it was inevitable that it would come to this.

The air around Bella was disturbed bringing her back from her thoughts as her body reacted without the need for instructions as her hand shot out and gripped the wrist of an arm tightly, adding enough pressure that the vampire stupid enough to have approached her would think twice before doing so again.

The threatening growl stopped in her throat when her eyes met the golden hue of a concerned Alice.

Bella immediately released Alice and let out a small whimper of apology.

Alice ignored the shocked sounds from her family as she let her hand travel back towards its intended destination and cupped Bella's cheek gently, narrowing her eyes as she looked into the older vampires red tinted eyes. "You okay?"

It was a pretty redundant question and it seemed Rose agreed as she snorted from somewhere behind her, but Alice didn't look away from Bella. The vampire was practically shaking in front of her. The redness of her eyes just added to Alice's worry.

"Bella?" Alice asked again hoping for some kind of response from her friend.

Bella studied Alice's face, her eyes taking in every feature. She'd spent so long without her best friend and she never wanted to risk losing her again. She couldn't, there was no way she'd survive. She'd been kidding herself thinking she could have simply changed a few things and it would set things right.

"I haven't changed _anything_ Alice." She whispered in distress.

Alice responded to the pain in Bella's voice and the despair in her eyes, stepping closer and cupping the older vampires face with both of her hands. "Oh, baby, you don't know that."

Bella closed her eyes and whimpered. She did know that. The wolves couldn't be left to attack the killer in Bella demanded an attack of her own be made now, while they were still unprepared.

But that could destroy any hope of maintaining some kind of relationship with this family. The only family she had left to hold on to.

Bella didn't know what to do. No, she did know what she needed to do, she was just afraid.

Alice watched a blood red tear trail down Bella's pale face and wiped it away with her thumb.

Bella sighed at the touch and opened her eyes to stare into the golden gaze before her. It was almost enough to make everything else irrelevant. Almost. She gather the smaller vampire into her arms and hugged her as tightly as she could, taking her time and breathing in Alice's scent needing its comforting effect on her to get her through these next few moments.

Slowly she eased Alice away from her, smiling sadly as she paused with her hands clasped together.

Alice searched Bella's face, something was wrong but she didn't have any vision to explain the sensation in her gut, the fear that something precious was slipping from her grasp.

The sad smile on Bella's face gave her a clue.

"No." Alice shook her head and refused to release her grip on the older vampire.

Bella sighed waiting patiently as Alice just looked at her with wide eyes. "It's time for me to go Alice." She confirmed.

Alice shook her head desperately trying to think of a away to convince Bella that simply wasn't the case. "No."

Bella looked passed Alice to everyone else in the room, Carlisle and Esme had returned with Jasper, only the human remained unaware of the goings on as she slept soundly in Alice's room. She ignored the triumphant look in Edwards eyes as he stood there arms folded. She went slowly from one vampire to the next. "It's time." She told them then dismissed them from her thoughts to concentrate on the girl in front of her.

She hoped they all understood how hard this was for her.

She swallowed hard and eased her hands from Alice, who looked as close to tears as was possible for a vampire. "Make sure she gets on that plane, and be careful, listen to your instincts, they'll keep you safe."

Alice flinched as Bella darted forward to press her lips to her forehead. She cried out trying to grasp on to any part of the other vampire to hold her in place, to make her stay, but it was too late.

In the blink of an eye Bella was gone.

xxxxxxx

Carlisle cleared his throat, his hand caressing his wife's back as he tried to deal with the sudden changes to his family's life. He'd be ever so grateful when they could be rid of this town.

"Well," He did really know what to make of Bella's departure so he was sticking to the things he did know and understand. "Jacob's facial bones will heal soon enough but I agree with you Jasper about leaving him nearer to La Push, so if you would kindly take care of that?" He asked the blonde with a raised eyebrow.

Jasper looked to his wife who hadn't moved from where she'd been standing before Bella had left. His jaw clenched as he felt her pain and despair at the vampires disappearance. He wished for a moment he was as oblivious to Alice's emotions, he didn't know which was worse, the anguish felt by his wife or the elation coming from his brother in thick waves.

He was grateful for any reason to get out of the house, even taking care of the dog.

Carlisle sighed as Jasper left to do as he'd asked. _If only they were all so accommodating to my wishes. _He thought with a sigh knowing the rest of his children were as stubborn as they were opinionated.

"For now we carry on as we were until things change, then we'll discuss other options." He said to his family, getting a supportive nod of agreement form Esme.

Edward scoffed in disbelief. "You can't be serious, they moment Jacob wakes up and tells his side of the story you know they'll attack!"

Carlisle gave his son a disappointed look, he wished Edward didn't carry around so much anger all of the time. "I'm willing to trust Sam would rather have all the fact before jumping to conclusions." He stated trying to calm Edward's rage.

Edward snorted scornfully. "They'll attack, we all know it. And she just ran out like the coward she is to leave us here while sh-"

Alice snapped as she listened to Edward go on, turning she raced towards him, pushing him in the chest as hard as she could, as her eyes flashing dangerously at him as she watched him twist with the motion and land in a crouch to stare back at her. "Shut your mouth! You don't know a damn thing!" She spat at him.

Edward slowly rose to his feet and tugged his clothes back into place, he wasn't angry with Alice, in fact he felt sorry for her, she more than anyone had be sucked in by that _thing_.

"Now that's enough! Both of you calm down, this will get us nowhere." Carlisle barked out not wanting an all out fight to occur.

Alice growled at her brother, her fangs refusing to retreat as her body remained ready to attack him if he continued being an ass.

"I'm not the only one that thinks it Alice." Edward told her giving Carlisle and Rosalie a pointed glance for his sisters benefit.

Rose snarled and narrowed her eyes at Edward as Emmett inched himself closer to her. "Stay out of my head Eddie." She told him purposely using a nickname she knew he hated.

"Whatever." Edward muttered looking back to Alice who still remained at the ready. He thought it was almost funny how she thought she could actually be some kind of a threat to him. "She's still not here, and where does that leave us?" He asked glancing around his family waiting for answers they didn't have.

Carlisle ran his free hand through his hair with a sigh. "And what would you suggest we do?" He asked knowing that was the opening his son had being looking at him to provide.

Edward's lips twitched. "Once Bella gets on that plane in a few hours, we should do the same."

A whine of pain sounded through the room but Edward ignored it. "It's time we left Forks behind once and for all."

xxxxxx

**AN/** I'd say I'm late posting but then I've never really been early so...

Thanks for reading anyway, even if you do have to start back at the beginning to remember what's going on! Lol

Next time.


	20. Chapter 20

**Part 20**

Esme glanced around her she was sat just to the side of her husband as he spoke with great concern to her sons Edward and Jasper. She was being included only by her presence, and they seemed to have no need to ask her for her opinion or thoughts. She found herself aghast at the accusations her son was putting forth, but she had no form of recourse, no way to say for certain that Edward was wrong.

But that didn't stop her from believing that was exactly the case. Her husband however, was convinced enough that he was finalising plans for her sons to go and check it out and report back the moment they had any damning evidence.

Edward listened to his mother let out another sigh and had to clench his teeth together to stop himself saying something he'd regret. He loved Esme almost as much as he did Carlisle, he would never want to consciously hurt her.

But she was as blind to Bella as his sister was.

He turned to Esme as his father spoke with Jasper quietly. "I don't want this to be true any more than you do Esme, but it's a threat we cannot stand by and do nothing about. The Volturi will not allow this to continue for long and we can't afford to have them turning their attentions here right now."

Esme eyed her son as Carlisle turned to the pair.

"One human death by a vampire is one too many." Esme finally replied making her son wait a few moments. She disliked how forcefully he had argued that Bella must be the reason behind the sting of deaths in Seattle. Even Alice had given up fighting him on the older vampires behalf. "Don't assume you have all the answers when I find it unlikely that Bella is being so open, not to mention we already know she fed from animals while she was here."

"True Esme, but she left just before these deaths began, we all know a vampire is the most likely cause given the reports." Jasper said speaking up for his brother. While he had his own doubts over Bella it was prudent to at the very least check it out and confirm one way or the other who was responsible. "Do we really want to ignore this?"

"Like we ignored the other human deaths in and around this area of the country these last few years?" She asked back. It was not uncommon to have other vampires pass through their territory and other than a few words asking they refrain from feeding from the residents of Forks they let them be.

Carlisle sighed and stood. He caught Edwards eye and motioned his head to the door. "You both best get going, the quicker this is settled the better."

Edward nodded and left his parents to continue the discussion without him.

Esme shook her head in disappointment as her boys left on their mission. She was growing more annoyed with her husband over the whole thing. "We don't know that these deaths are down to Bella."

"Murder's."

Esme glared at Carlisle, who cleared his throat nervously. She gave him a piercing look then moved to stand, she had a sudden desire to spend time in her studio, perhaps a new painting would calm her unease over this issue. Right now the last thing she wanted was to spend more time with Carlisle. "You're sounding more and more like Edward with each pass of day."

Carlisle leaned back in his chair as his wife made her exit. He wasn't as taken in by Edward's views as Esme obviously thought but the threat of Aro taking more than a passing interest to this part of the world, well that was a very dangerous prospect for his family.

It was not so much Aro as the members of his guard that he would likely send here on his behalf that caused Carlisle enough worry to agree to letting Edward take a look into it.

He would rather risk a fight with a nomad than have even a single member of the Voturi turn up on their doorstep.

xxxxxxx

"You don't think it's true do you?" Emmett asked as he looked to his wife. The last few days had been very tense even with human Bella going to visit her mom, everyone was on edge wondering what the wolves would do but so far they hadn't done anything.

Now with at least one vampire up in Seattle making its presence known Emmett was getting a little worried.

Normally as a family they didn't really see any other vampires, other than the Denali's on rare occasions, but now Edward and Jasper were off to hunt down this mysterious vampire?

And then do what?

It didn't make any sense to him.

And why exactly hadn't he been asked to go with them?

Rosalie didn't think it was true. She finished applying her make up as Emmett laid sprawled on their bed with just a sheet covering him from the waist down. "I doubt it." She muttered looking at her reflection once more to check her lipstick wasn't smudging then stood and eyed her husband. "But even if it is her, I don't think Edward and Jasper would be able to stop her."

"Hm." Emmett grunted. It still annoyed him that they'd never taken the opportunity to really get to know just how good Bella would be in a fight. She was quick and obviously had a mean right hook but beyond that, and her powers, they hadn't tested her.

He frowned at Rosalie as she stood. "You think I should go after them?" Even if it wasn't Bella he was still supposed to be the brawn in the family.

"Nah, Alice would have said something to you if she felt you needed to go." She replied confident in her sisters abilities. In fact there was a good chance Edward and Jazz would come back empty handed and at least with them out of the way for a day or so it would give Alice a break from them both.

"But she's not been all there though has she?" Emmett said softy.

"I heard that!" Alice muttered from her own room causing Emmett to wince. "And my powers are working just fine. Just not on Bella." She grumbled out in annoyance.

Rosalie chuckled and headed for her door intent on going to check up on her sister to find out exactly how she did feel about their brother's little expedition.

Alice looked over to the doorway as Rosalie sauntered in and closed the door behind her.

"Before you ask, no I don't know who's responsible for the killings. They're all random, last minute decisions." Alice said knowing it didn't exonerate Bella from being the guilty party. She scowled and put down the book she'd been trying unsuccessfully to read for the past two hours.

She watched Rose open her mouth to speak and quickly beat her to it. "But no, I don't think it is Bella."

Rosalie smirked, taking a seat at the bottom of the bed. "Can you be sure?"

Alice shrugged.

She was as sure as she could be and besides, Bella wouldn't have just flown into some killing spree without cause. And as upset as she'd been with Bella's departure, Alice couldn't see Bella committing these acts.

Rosalie eyed her sister carefully, as close as she was to the rest of the family, there had always been a special bond between the two of them. And right now Rosalie was worried about her sister. From the moment Bella had left Alice had been agitated and very snappish with everyone, except the human girl of course, but even that had seemed a strain for Alice.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Rosalie said very softly.

Alice studied the blonde for a few seconds before replying, "Of course I do." She said scowling.

Rosalie sighed. She didn't like seeing Alice like this she missed the cheery, bubbly Alice.

"I don't hate her you know, not completely."

Alice looked a little surprised at Rosalie. "I know that."

"Do you?" Rosalie asked, this wasn't why she'd come in here but it'd been playing on her mind ever since Edward had dragged her thoughts on Bella's disappearing act out into the open. "I know I worry a lot. Maybe too much" She sighed looking away. "I just…"

Alice had heard enough, she didn't need to listen to Rose beating herself up over being protective of her family.

"Oh." Rosalie suddenly found herself wrapped up in Alice's arms. It took her a moment but she finally relaxed enough to overlay her hands on top of Alice's around her neck.

Alice hugged her sister tightly. "We all know you care Rose." She said kissing Rosalie on the cheek and humming as they continued to hold each other.

Rosalie blinked slowly, enjoying how easily it was for Alice to be so tactile. Emmett was the only person she was completely comfortable with, but even that was mostly limited to when they were alone.

"I love you Rose," Alice said with a grin sliding her arms free from her sister. "And there's nothing wrong about worrying, I'm worried to." She admitted.

Rosalie sighed as Alice shifted to sit beside her.

"You think she'll be back? Even if she is the one…" She didn't really want to accuse Bella of the killings without proof but guilty or not, Rosalie would feel better with the older vampire's return.

"I hope so." Alice replied quietly not wanting to sound as sad as she still felt at Bella's leaving.

Rosalie watched her sister almost retreat into herself and forced a smile onto her face as she patted Alice's thigh.

"Tell you what, why don't you come hunt with Em and me, take your mind off things for a while?" Rosalie asked ignoring the 'huh?' muttering from her husband as she looked at Alice pleadingly. "It'll give us a chance to really catch up."

Alice stared at her sister before shrugging and getting up from her bed and heading for her wardrobe. "Meet you guys outside in five."

Rosalie grinned then got up too. She now had to talk Emmett into going on a hunt. She didn't thinking he'd need much coaxing.

xxxxxx

Emmett watched Alice race ahead to check out the view from the top of the massive tree about half a mile away. Still he took no chances as he leaned in close to Rosalie's ear and whispered, "Why are we doing this again? We both hunted yesterday, and some damn fine bear it was too."

Rosalie rolled her eyes then smacked Emmett on the stomach with the back of her hand. "Because it's got Alice out of her room."

Emmett frowned then glanced around at the dense forest around them. "Should we even be out here right now?"

"What?" Rosalie asked with a scoff. Then she grinned at her husband. "You afraid the puppies are going to come get you Em?" She asked making a grab for Emmett causing him to jump nervously.

Emmett listened to Rosalie laugh at him then took another look around. "Sure Rose." He said with a shake of his head. He wasn't scared, he'd relish a good fight, but if they were attacked his family was all split up. Edward and Jasper were off to Seattle, Esme and Carlisle were back at the house and they were miles out of Forks hunting. Even with cell phones, if an attack happened, they were all on their own to deal with it.

Bella had warned them to be careful and to him this wasn't careful.

"Or is my Monkey Man afraid the redhead is out here somewhere watching us and waiting for the righ-"

"Rose!" Emmett's eyes widened at the thought. "Don't say shit like that, it's like, tempting fate." He told her looking around them once more trying to listen for any sign that they weren't alone.

Rosalie's laughter rang out as they continued on there way.

A few feet away from their path, high on a tree branch, a figure watched carefully, its red eyes shinning brightly as it watched its prey.

xxxxxxx

Alice hopped from one branch down to a lower one taking care not to land too heavily or she'd be on the ground quicker than she intended.

"Spot anything?" Emmett asked with interest.

"Just some deer about a mile that way." Alice replied pointing to her left. The wind was blowing from the ocean and the air was tainted with salt. It masked a lot of fresh scent traces and made hunting a bit more of a challenge.

_If you couldn't look into the future that was._ Alice felt a laugh bubble in her chest and did her best to restrain herself, instead she hummed an earlier tune she'd been singing in her room.

"Oh." Emmett replied trying not to sound put off by the idea.

"What are you grinning at?" Rosalie asked watching her sister curiously.

Alice felt a bounce in her step for the first time in what felt like months. She shrugged innocently at Rosalie. "Nothing. Not a thing, just...the deer."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes at the smaller vampire as she giggled and danced away from her.

Emmett watched his wife closely. He then turned his head as Alice laughed and raced ahead of them in the direction of the deer herd.

The couple stood there quietly for a few moments, listening to their sisters tinkling laughter fade in the air around them.

Rosalie was still frowning and she'd crossed her arms over her chest as she stared into the trees where Alice had gone.

"That not why we're out here?" Emmett asked not understanding why Rosalie looked upset. "To get Alice back to herself?"

"Yeah." Rosalie muttered as she began walking forward.

"Then?"

"I just didn't think it would be this easy. Seems a little too easy." She said suspiciously.

Another few minutes and Rosalie felt the need to catch up to her sister. "Come on, before all the food's gone."

Emmett rolled his eyes but kept pace as he muttered, "Wouldn't want that now would we?"

They continued in silence, the darkness causing them no problems as they ran through the forest.

Emmett was the first to break the tree line and into a large clearing. At the far end, in plain sight, some twenty or so deer were taking advantage of the darkness to feed but they all fled as the sound Emmett had caused reached their ears.

"Oops." Emmett said with a grin on his face as he turned to Rosalie.

Rosalie scanned the area quickly, her expression turning serious.

"Where the hell is Alice?"

Emmett's eyes widened. "No. No, no, no!" Franticly he turned in all directions, searching, panicked. "Fuck!"

"She's not here Em."

"Fuck!"

xxxxxxx

**AN/ **Uh oh. Has Alice really disappeared?

Is she in danger?

Nah.

Course not.

Right?

:D

Find out next time folks!

Thanks for reading. And HELLO To the newbies. Welcome.


	21. Chapter 21

**Part 21**

Alice did her best to remain quiet now that the hand had released its hold over her mouth but the teeth at her neck made it difficult.

As she shifted arms tightened around her and a growl of warning sounded at her ear before fangs pressed that little bit harder at the skin of her neck.

Alice sighed unhappily, her eyes searching the ground below her for any sign of Rosalie and Emmett but they were gone. She hadn't seen them or heard them for at least ten minutes now, had they been human that wouldn't have been long enough for them to get very far but as it was they could be miles away in any direction right now.

A tongue lapped at her neck causing Alice to flinch away with a giggle.

"Oh hush, it's not like there's anyone around now to come to my rescue!" Alice announced in an annoyed tone as she continued to struggle free from her captor. As the growling continued Alice rolled her eyes, huffed and finally stilled her movements.

Gradually the snarling reduced until the vampire behind her was only making a soft vibrating noise in its chest.

"They'll be worried about me you know." Alice said trying to reason with the vampire. "They'll come back with the rest of my family to find me."

A snort sounded as the fangs gave one final nip at her neck before moving to her ear.

"You think they'll be able to find you?" The vampire asked in a curious tone.

Alice frowned, her teeth clenching together as she thought about her family searching all through the forest for any sign of her. She didn't want Esme worried like that.

"They shouldn't have let you out of their sight in the first place." The vampire spat out bitterly. "Let them look for you! It will do them good to feel afraid at last."

"Bella!" Alice cried out turning around as best as she could under the circumstances, she couldn't believe her friend would put her family through that.

Bella growled and tightened her hold on the smaller vampire.

"What if it hadn't been me?" She asked her expression hard. "What if it had been Victoria or one of those damn mutts...what then?" She implored her eyes searching Alice's face, tracing over every detail as if they had been separated for years and not the few days as it had been.

"I am not playing Alice. This is about your life and I won't risk you over Emmett's need to act the fool." She muttered.

Alice couldn't think of a come back to that, not with the amount of concern in Bella's face.

"But I would have seen if-"

"Would you?" Bella cut in, tilting her head slightly. "You disappeared Alice, before the attack on your family...maybe even before my attack."

Eyes widening Alice didn't know what to think. "But..."

Bella sighed, it had tortured her not knowing what fate had befell her dearest friend. After exacting her revenge on the wolves she'd pressed for as much information as she could from the few that remained before they too met the same fate at her hands.

They had all claimed to have never seen a small dark haired vampire at the house that fateful night.

Bella hadn't wanted to believe them but in the end they all died with the same uncomprehending look in their eyes at her questions. No matter the torment she dealt out, how slow and painful their death, the answers never changed.

Alice watched Bella's eyes go unfocused.

"Esme cried though she never shed a single tear in Carlisle's arms as the flames took them." She explained in a dull emotionless tone. "Edward glared at Jacob through it all never once looking away as he died beside them." Bella paused. "They said Jasper's screams could be heard for miles." She uttered softly, not wanting the mention of Alice's husband to cause her friend to pull free of her. But Alice didn't move she was completely transfixed by her words it seemed. "Only Rosalie and Emmett tried but, they didn't stand a chance against that many..."

"I'm sorry." Alice replied shifting closer.

Bella's breath caught as Alice moved into her arms. "It...wasn't...you..."

Alice snuggled into Bella, she wasn't the warm human but that only meant she had no fear of hurting in other girl as they held each other.

Bella's jaw worked as she struggled with her emotions. She was being a bit over protective because she knew the dogs would have been detected by their stench long before their arrival but Victoria was the real concern. It had taken her only moments to slip into La Push and do what she had. The redhead was a greater threat than James had been.

And Bella wasn't willing to risk Alice, not now that she had her back.

Alice felt Bella tighten her hold around her and couldn't hold back a giggle as something pressed against her hip. "Pleased to see me?" She asked cheekily.

"Huh?" Bella stared at her friend blankly as they separated and she followed Alice's gaze to her own hip and the handle of a small dagger that she had strapped there. "Oh." She rolled her eyes at her friends comment.

"When did you get that? And why?" Alice asked taking the opportunity to drop down from the tree they were in now that Bella was no longer holding her prisoner.

Bella puffed out a breath in frustration before following Alice down to the ground unsurprised when the smaller vampire started off in the direction of the Cullen house.

"So?" Alice said trying to start the conversation back up as they ran together.

Bella shrugged as she navigated around a fallen tree. "I didn't bring any of my things with me, I hadn't really expected it to work this time. I picked this up in New York City when I left."

Alice nodded quickly not wanting to remember Bella's departure. She had lots of questions she wanted to ask about just how Bella had managed to return to this time but they would have to wait for now. "What's it for?" She asked. As a vampire Bella could shatter a boulder the size of a house with her fist, why the need for a knife?

Bella grinned wickedly, her fangs tips showing. "It removes muscle from bone very efficiently." Was her only answer.

"Oh." Alice decided it was best not to ask more on the subject and as Bella laughed she winced at the image in her head of her friend butchering a deer. _She was talking about food right? _Of course she was. Although Alice wasn't sure why... She shook her head and raced to catch up with the other vampire. It was best not to think about it.

xxxxxxxx

"She just disappeared?" Carlisle questioned, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes!" Rosalie snapped at her father figure. "I told you that, now can we get out there and start I don't know..._looking_ for her?"

"Babe we'll find her." Emmett tried to reassure his wife. He didn't know why they weren't racing out of the house either but maybe it was all a misunderstanding and Alice had simply chased after another food source, maybe seen a bear in a vision and hadn't wanted to share knowing his own like for the animals blood.

He turned his eyes to Carlisle and gave him a no nonsense look. "We _are_ going now aren't we." He stated.

"Of course." Carlisle agreed quickly as Esme stood beside him her face a mask of concern for her missing daughter.

"Good." Rosalie muttered before turning to run out the back of the house only to pull up as her path was blocked.

Standing in front of her was Alice and Bella. She should have been made at her sister for scaring her like that but instead she gasped and took a step backward into Emmett.

"Well hello again." Bella said unconcerned by Rosalie's reaction or at seeing Esme place her hand over her mouth. She felt Alice slip her hand into her own and grinned down at the smaller vampire.

"Dude, your eyes are red." Emmett said breaking the silence that had descended.

Bella looked over at the hulk of a man and gave him a friendly smile. "Change in diet." She replied.

Carlisle frowned and stepped forward past Esme who had gasped in horror. "Explain yourself." He demanded.

Bella chuckled at that even as Alice hissed in warning to Carlisle to watch his tone.

"It's okay little one." Bella whispered placing her arm around the smaller vampire's shoulder and pulling her close to lay a gentle kiss at her temple. From the smell she knew Edward and Jasper were not in the house so she didn't have to worry about dealing with their petty jealousies. When she felt Alice relax she turned back to Carlisle.

"What's there to explain?" She asked knowing she was evading the question but enjoying Carlisle's frustration at her answer. "I've had a temporary change in diet since I left."

"I won't have you feeding from humans and remain in this house." Carlisle said with all of his authority, as the head of the household he wouldn't allow it, it was within his rights.

Bella's eyes narrowed as she wondered if Carlisle would have the same reaction to any of the other vampires in the room were to ever show up with red eyes.

"Who said anything about humans?" Bella asked back.

That caused a reaction as she saw disbelief in more than one face.

"Huh?" Emmett finally asked his face showing his confusion. "But your eyes are red."

Bella shrugged then lifted her arm from around Alice and held it out as she bared her wrist to them. "Taste for yourself." She offered.

Rosalie quickly shied away shaking her head. "I've never..."

Bella easily accepted that and moved her gaze to Emmett stood beside her. He shrugged his wide shoulders. "I'm game." He told her.

She nodded but as Emmett stepped towards her Alice placed her hand over her wrist. "I can."

Bella shook her head at her friend. It was a sweet offer but she wasn't going to let her plus, "They wouldn't trust your word on this."

Alice blinked in shock, that couldn't be true. She turned to her family only to see Esme looking at the floor while Carlisle just stared back at her. Saddened, Alice shifted closer to Bella and turned her attention to the slowly approaching Emmett. She growled at him as he gripped Bella's wrist.

Emmett froze at the glare his sister was sending him. He lifted an eyebrow at Bella but she just grinned back at him. "Great." He muttered as he slowly lifted her wrist to his mouth and did his best to ignore his bristling sister as his fangs pierced the skin and he took a small mouthful of blood.

The continuous growl coming from Alice stopped abruptly as Emmett wrenched away from Bella and spat blood onto the floor.

"Ugh...oh god." Emmett spat again trying to clear his mouth of blood. He hadn't taken much but the taste was so strong. He stuck his tongue out of his mouth and looked at Rosalie in despair before racing past Bella and Alice and into the forest.

Bella chuckled to herself and lifted her wrist to her mouth to lick the wound closed. She noticed Alice's questioning look. "It's an acquired taste." She explained.

Turning back around she was surprised to see Carlisle crouched down looking at the blood Emmett had spat out. She snorted when the doctor pressed a finger into the pool before tasting it for himself.

She rolled her eyes as the vampire raced into the kitchen and the running of a tap could be heard.

Alice giggled.

Rosalie eyed the pair. She was only worried about the red eyes in case Bella's feeding risked exposing them, but everyone else in this family had slipped a time or two so she didn't agree with what Carlisle had said.

"If it hasn't been humans you've been feeding on then?" She asked as Carlisle wandered back into the room.

"Werewolf." Carlisle answered for Bella wincing as the taste could still be detected in his mouth.

Rosalie's eyes widened and she stared at Bella appalled at the thought of her husband being subjected to that.

"Not so human." Bella grinned, showing her teeth as Alice again took her hand.

"Freak." Rosalie muttered before starting for the open window. "With any luck Emmett won't have killed every living animal within a hundred miles by the time I find him."

"We'll join you." Esme said as she could see her husband was still uncomfortable. She turned her eyes to the two girls. "Could you take care of that please?" She asked indicating the blood on the floor not wanting it to stain.

"Of course." Bella replied easily.

Esme smiled as she followed her husband. "Thank you, and its good to have you back dear."

Bella watched the three of them leave then watched Alice dart into the kitchen and come back with a towel to soak up the blood. The sight of the smaller vampire cleaning her spilt blood caused an ache in her heart.

She'd needed to leave when she did and she'd solved one problem out of the many they faced which made her feel useful for the first time since her return.

"Done." Alice said having disposed of the now ruined towel and walking back over to Bella. She smiled at the older vampire. The red eyes hadn't bothered her, it had been a shock but one she'd quickly gotten over. She bounced on her toes. "Wanna go up to my room?"

Bella flashed Alice a lazy grin and slowly stalked towards her. "I might." She said stopping in front of the shorter vampire. They stared at each other locked in a power a wills until finally they both chuckled.

Alice felt herself leaning upwards, closer to the other vampire as she placed her hands on Bella's hips. "Race you!" She blurted out needing to get away from the other girl before she made a fool out of herself.

Bella straightened up as Alice raced away from her. They'd almost kissed she was sure of it.

She smiled to herself as she started making her way up the staircase. Alice could run all she wanted to but Bella hadn't spent centuries chasing this dream to give up on it now.

She agreed with Esme.

It really was great to be back.

xxxxxxx

**AN/** And look I'm back too, yay!

Hope you haven't missed me too much I'm sure there are a ton of great fics on here that you barely notice :D

Hopefully the next update won't take as long.

Thanks for reading!


	22. Chapter 22

**Part 22**

Bella had taken her time following Alice up to her room. She needed to think, to work out what she should do, or say, or do...she liked the idea of just doing something, of letting Alice know with complete certainty that an 'almost kiss' just wasn't going to work for her, teasing was fine but Bella wouldn't mind getting straight to the chase.

She laughed quietly as she continued up the stairs. She'd been chasing something or other from the moment of her turning. And as much fun as it was, she had grown tired of the wait.

With her eyes dancing with excitement Bella walked purposefully along the hallway. With an empty house and an almost kiss still lingering on her mind Bella's thoughts were going back and reassessing her idea of kidnapping the smaller vampire.

It appealed to her possessiveness. She'd lived a mostly solitary existence as a vampire, the Cullen household, with Edward and Jasper and their gifts, was a grating thought on her nerves. She had little patience and a lethal temper.

_And it isn't really kidnapping if Alice comes along willingly. _Bella grinned, and paused outside Alice's room, wondering if she could convince the small beauty inside that she needed company to go hunt. Or possibly check in on Charlie.

But the very second she'd put her hand on Alice's door to open it the smaller vampire's cell started ringing on the inside, and Bella was left disappointed as she entered to find the dark haired vampire greeting her human counterpart.

Bella's eyes narrowed as Alice giggled into her phone. She really didn't need more reasons to dislike the human, but the way Alice was smiling was more than a worthy one.

xxxxxxx

So here she was now, walking aimlessly around Alice's room while Alice herself was laid out on the bed talking at length with the human about her day, and trying to ignore the growing frustration she felt.

Bella sighed as she listened in to the mundane chatter and found herself puzzled at Alice's indulgence at the boring conversation. She took a deep breath to sigh again but paused as something caught her attention, something was different. Odd. She inhaled again…there was _something _just outside her grasp of understanding. Tilting her head to the side she continued to sniff and was shocked when she realised what it was.

Jaspers scent was almost non-existent to her.

Bella felt her eyes widen as she took in the room with fresh eyes. His books were gone, the framed confederate flag was missing from its place on the wall, and other, smaller trinkets that had once taken pride of place on the desk and shelves were gone too.

Flicking her eyes over to find Alice watching her even as she continued speaking to the human, Bella couldn't stop herself from cocking her eyebrow and venturing over to Alice's wardrobe and opening it wide. She shouldn't have been surprised to find Jasper's section empty but she was.

Confused but more than a little pleased at this development Bella turned around and grinned at the smaller vampire. She crossed her arms over her chest and leant against the closet doorframe as she watched her friend giggle into the phone.

Alice couldn't help the laugh bubbling up inside her as she kept an ear to the Bella talking on her phone and the one wandering around her room. It had been funny waiting to see how long it took the older vampire to figure things had changed while she'd been gone, but the sudden halt in her steps and the deep breaths let Alice know she'd finally worked it out.

"Hey Alice, mum's at my door, I'll call you tomorrow okay? We can talk more then." A voice said over the phone snapping Alice back into her conversation with the human.

"Sure." Alice responded her eyes still fixed on the vampire in front of her. "Talk to you then." She muttered distractedly before they both said their goodbyes and hung up.

Bella remained right where she was not trusting herself to get any closer to Alice right now. They needed to talk first, to be sure of what she felt was going on between them. Although to be fair, there was already a growing amount of evidence to support her theory. She opened her mouth to start but Alice beat her to it.

"We broke up the night you left." Alice said softly her eyes dropping from Bella's as she remembered the pain and ache in her chest that she'd been left with as Bella disappeared from in front of her that night. She'd been so upset afterwards, at Edward and his callous words, at a future she couldn't see and at herself for not chasing after Bella and begging her not to leave her. She'd left the house after her short tussle with Edward and had been left with only herself for company as she tried to work out why she was so devastated.

Bella inched forward unable to stay back when Alice sounded so sad. She eased onto the edge of the mattress next to Alice's waist and clasped her hand gently.

Squeezing back, Alice smiled up at Bella and continued on with her explanation. "They wouldn't go after you, none of them." That had hurt. No amount of pleading on her part had been of use. They had all decided that Bella had made her own choice and they weren't going to look for her, not with Jacob injured and a threat of retaliation from the wolves on the horizon.

Edward had called Bella a coward for leaving them to deal with her actions against Jacob.

Bella snorted when Alice told her of Edward's thoughts on her leaving them the way she did. Her eyes hardened as she thought back to the moment she'd knelt down to Jacob's fallen body, and how close she'd come to losing control.

"I would have killed them all." She muttered her eyes slipping closed in shame before she opened them again and gazed steadily at Alice. "Just like before."

Alice tried not to react, she knew Bella had spoken about killing werewolves before, instead she nodded. It did explain her need to leave so quickly but then it didn't really make sense, because just down stairs Bella had said she'd been feeding from werewolves, Alice was just guessing here, but she doubted any of those ones had lived.

_So why the need to leave then? If she killed the wolves anyway?_

Bella saw the confused look on her friend and waited patiently for the question to come.

"Didn't you anyway?" Alice asked carefully, not wanting to accuse or judge. But it had been Bella herself who had admitted she'd fed from wolves. And it would explain why they had yet to receive any threats over Jacob's injuries. "I mean..." Alice gestured to Bella's red eyes.

Bella shook her head. "It wasn't them." Bella sighed and looked down to stare at her hand clasped in Alice's. She took strength from that connection, that throughout all of this, Alice had yet to be disgusted or horrified at what she was saying. But then, none of the Cullen's really knew of her past so maybe that fear she'd talked about to Alice up in the tree would come sooner rather than later.

When they learned werewolves hadn't been the only supernatural creatures she'd hunted.

Alice frowned as Bella fell silent.

She lifted their joint hands and pressed her lips to the back of Bella's hand. "You don't have to talk about this if it makes you uncomfortable."

Bella laughed out loud. "Like Carlisle won't have _any_ questions for me when he returns!" And in any case she wasn't truly uncomfortable talking about this with Alice it was just that it wouldn't be an easy conversation for either of them. Even now Alice looked at her as if she knew her, but the truth was she didn't.

She had been a hunter and killer for so long she almost didn't remember what being human was like any more.

Would Alice understand that?

Bella paused in thought and studied Alice for a moment. _Maybe she would, she doesn't recall her human years after all._

That strangely put Bella more at ease, her hard to explain existence suddenly seeming that little bit easier now.

Alice pouted. That was true, but she'd been trying to make a point. Whatever Bella had done, or was going to do, it wouldn't make any difference to her. She didn't want Bella disappearing on her ever again.

"You'll stay this time though, won't you?" She asks hopefully. "Even when Carlisle has you locked away in his study answering all of his questions?"

Bella ignores the fact she'd never allow Carlisle to do such a thing as her eyes take on a new sparkle and leans closer to the dark haired vampire, that particular decision had long past been made. She could no more leave now than she could fly out the window. She grinned slowly until Alice couldn't help but smile back at her. "You won't be able to get rid of me Alice that I can promise you." She said softly before pressing her lips to Alice's forehead, unsurprised when her arms are soon full of a very happy vampire.

xxxxxx

"She's fucking dead!" Emmett growled as he stalked back to their home with Rosalie at his side.

"Yes dear." Rosalie muttered again.

"I mean werewolf, a fucking werewolf!" He said angrily remembering that smirk on her face just before he'd bit into her wrist. "Bitch could have warned me! Thought she'd had a human." He grumbled bitterly still unhappy even though he'd had his fill of deer to rid him of that awful taste.

Rosalie sighed as her patients began to wear thin.

"Humans at least taste nice." He said without thinking only to stop and glance around them anxiously, fearing Carlisle was about to jump out at him or Esme, with that disappointed look she sometimes gave him when she felt he'd gone too far in his teasing. Not that he would take it back, humans did taste damn good, but if his parents had heard him saying that he'd be in for a scolding and a very lengthy talk on why it's wrong to feed from humans.

He sighed in relief seeing that the coast was clear of any parental figures.

Rosalie rolls her eyes not as panicked as Emmett obviously was by his comments. "Wouldn't know babe." She said. She'd killed humans before and had no regret in that but feeding from them? Even thinking about it now made her feel nauseous.

Swallowing nervously Emmett hurried his steps to match his wife. "Just saying yeah? Anything would have been better than that, even dirt."

"Sure." Rosalie was quickly losing interest in the whole conversation. They'd all wanted to know what Bella had been feeding on and for crying out loud Emmett was the one to volunteer! _Served him right. _She thought to herself with a smirk.

Truthfully she was more interested in finding out what exactly the older vampire had been up to in the past few days.

Emmett continues to sulk as they make their way back. He didn't really want to rush a confrontation because he wasn't sure what he could do in way of a payback.

_And just how in hell can she stomach drinking from mutts? That's just wrong._

xxxxxx

Bella was as happy as she ever remembered being, possibly only coming a close second to her discovery of the witch Selene. Even as Alice told her where Jasper and Edward had gone off to and why couldn't alter the wide grin on her face as she held Alice in her arms and occasionally inhaled her scent while the smaller vampire spoke.

They were both laid out on Alice's bed simply enjoying each others presence when footsteps were heard entering the house once more.

Bella sighed, disappointment filling her at the prospect of having to release her hold on the vampire in her arms. Unconsciously her grip tightened and a low rumbling sound began filtering into the room.

Alice giggled softly and burrowed closer into Bella, finding the growing pout on the other girls lips unbelievably cute.

"Something funny?" Bella asked lifting an eyebrow and glancing down at the dark head resting on her chest.

Alice didn't answer.

Feeling challenged Bella just smirked.

"I have ways of making people talk Tink, you should seriously reconsider this before it's too late." Bella warned her friend.

Alice shook her dark head rapidly and giggled in defiance, stubbornly refusing to speak.

Bella's face lit up at the idea of playing with her friend. She'd never done that since her change, and as a human she had always been careful of her actions or she would have gotten hurt without any of the Cullen's meaning to. Her fingers twitched and were soon looking for ticklish spots on her friend's smaller body.

They were both laughing before Alice finally managed to wriggle free and hop off of her bed in a fit of laughter before making her escape to the other end of her room.

"Naughty vampire." Alice wagged her finger playfully at Bella who sat up and simply shrugged at her, not looking the least bit repentant for her actions.

Bella smiled at Alice for a moment. She hadn't really wanted to let go of her but with the two arrivals downstairs they wouldn't have had time to do anything anyway. _Later. _She promised herself, her eyes quickly flitting over Alice's form. _Later._

"You two done?" Came Rosalie's disgruntled voice.

Bella stood up and sighed in disappointment.

Alice rolled her eyes and quickly grabbed Bella's hand. "Come on, lets go find out how big bad Emmett is after you tried to poison him."

"Hey!" Bella took offence to that having done no such thing. It wasn't her fault the Cullen's were so damn righteous most of the time. _And where did that get them huh? Dead that's where. Stupid moral, human acting vampires. _She grumbled to herself as she allowed Alice to drag her back into the living area.

"So, how did it go? Is the forest bereft of all fury creatures?" Alice asked ignoring the sulking form beside her as she eyed her siblings.

Rosalie watched curiously as Alice practically danced on the spot as she held Bella's hand in her own. The older vampire looked around the room with a scowl but as Rosalie continued to watch Bella let a smile slip across her face as she glanced down at Alice. _Interesting. _It was gone the minute Bella looked up and met her gaze but Rosalie had witnessed it, and given the change in her sister, she couldn't bring herself to be anything but glad to have her sister back once more.

She flicked her eyes over the magazine in her hands and turned a page, doing her best indifferent act. "Don't think he'll ever drink deer again but other than that he'll live." She informed them.

Emmett scowled unhappily from his seat next to his wife as he did his best to ignore Bella and focus on his game.

"Aw, poor Emmy, got a tummy ache?" Alice exclaimed in mock sympathy before racing over and hugging her brother from behind with all her strength getting an amused chuckle from Emmett in return for her efforts.

Out of the corner of her eye Rosalie watched Bella watch Alice. The older vampire seemed at a loss as to what to do for a long moment before, after seemingly warring with herself, walking over and taking a seat close to Alice and her husband.

Emmett snorted as Bella sat down beside him. "I'm not talking to you." He told her without looking away from his game.

Alice giggled finally releasing Emmett to wedge herself between her brother's hulking form and Bella, who quickly placed an arm across her shoulder and pulled her into her body.

"She has ways of making you talk you know Emmett, you should be carful." Alice warned her brother even as Bella snorted beside her.

"Like she could get me to do anything!" Emmett muttered with a shake of his head not seeing Bella's eyes narrow dangerously.

Alice shrugged and rested her head on Bella's chest, feeling the telltale vibrations start to grow. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Emmett dismissed Alice's words with a scoff and went back to his game.

Rosalie stiffened as her husband continued acting like a petulant child being told to be careful crossing the road. She tilted her head back and mouth 'why me?'. The last thing she wanted was to have to play referee just because her husband was sulking.

She looked at Bella who was staring intently at Emmett.

She got out of her seat and started walking away heading for the garage, where she'd get some peace working on her cars. "Whatever you do, take it outside, Esme's had enough damage inside to fix in the last week." She said before disappearing down the steps.

"Babe, don't worry so much." Emmett called after her amused at the concern. "You know I'm the best!" He chuckled.

Bella was a touch insulted but she couldn't find it in herself to get angry, Emmett wouldn't be much of a challenge for her, but she was going to enjoy taking him down a peg or two.

"Is that right, Emmett." She said in a silky sweet tone.

Emmett's attention snapped immediately back around to Bella. "Uh." He couldn't remember what he'd been saying but he suddenly felt the need to plead his innocence as she held his gaze.

"Excuse me." Bella said to Alice as she shifted away from her to stand and start for the back window. She opened it wide before glancing over her shoulder to Emmett's still form. "You coming then?" She asked before jumping to the ground below.

Alice shook her head as she got up to follow Bella. "I did try and warn you." She reminded her brother just as she too disappeared out the window.

Emmett blinked then frowned. Had his own wife and baby sister both just sided with Bella? The clumsy, runaway that always seemed to get herself into mortal trouble?

He guffed at thought that she'd somehow beat him, he was the strongest in the family and while he might not be the fastest he'd sure as hell show Bella a thing or two.

He got up placing his controller down carefully. He owed her some payback for the wolf's blood anyway.

"Oh, it's on Bells, it's on!" He called before charging for the open window and landing with a roll across the ground. He hopped up into a crouch and glanced around sniffing to work out which direction they had taken and quickly followed Alice's scent into the forest. He felt all that extra blood in his system start to pump wildly and let out a laugh of delight as he began his chase.

This was going to be good.

xxxxxx

**AN**/ So its been a while...sorry about that.

I've been doing my uni project the last 11 weeks or so and before that I had some pretty damn important exams to study for. Everything's been going good and in a few weeks I'll be all done, so woohoo to that :D

Finally found some time to write so hope you enjoyed it.

The Alice/Bella thing is getting there and in the next two or three chapters they'll be all coupled up!

Awww!

Can't wait.

Lol

Thanks for reading.


	23. Chapter 23

**Part 23**

"Just wait, then you're going down mutt-breath!" Emmett exclaimed as he disappeared back into the forest.

Bella eyed the boulder he'd dumped at her feet with curiosity. She'd been all ready to get down to teaching her favourite Cullen boy a lesson or two when he'd walked into the clearing with _this _thing and dropped it at her feet.

Bella tilted her head upwards studiously ignoring the giggling going on in the tree behind her as she waited impatiently for Emmett to finish whatever it was he was doing.

"That's it, now it's on!" Emmett exclaimed bouncing on his toes and lifting his fists like a boxer, throwing a few jabs out in her direction. "No more holding back." He told her before heading her way again, he'd taken his shirt off and was doing muscle poses as he worked his way towards her as if there was a crowd of on-lookers.

Rolling her eyes Bella huffed out a breath and glared at Emmett's grinning face as he joined her by the stone.

Her eyes widened comically as he leaned his elbow on the top of the rock and motioned her closer with his hand. "Let's get to it Bells, I got some celebrating with my girl to do once this is over!" He announced with a gleam in his eyes.

He was confident. Cocky in fact.

Bella was neither impressed nor fearful.

_You've got to be fucking kidding me!_

Bella slowly turned her head in Alice's direction for the punch line, because this _had_ to be a joke.

_Right?_

Alice shrugged down at her with a playful look. "He beat Jasper."

"Damn right I did." Emmett confirmed much to Bella's dismay because it meant that they were serious about this being the reason for coming out here. Not an actual fight, because that would make too much sense, no, they were out here to…

"Come on, come on…you're not turning chicken are ya, Bella?" Emmett taunted her, making clucking noises as he waited for her.

Bella looked back at Emmett with narrowed eyes. She eyed the rock first, and then the way he was standing.

_He beat Jasper. _

But Bella wasn't Jasper. Bella wasn't even the person they thought she was. It really was starting to piss her off the way they seemed to totally disregard the fact that she had been a vampire for longer than several of the Cullen's combined years.

Bella growled to herself as Emmett made clucking noises that had Alice giggling behind her. Tamping down her growing anger Bella stepped forward, she would teach Emmett a lesson but she had to be careful not to do more permanent damage or she'd have a lot of explaining to do, not least of all to Rosalie.

There must have been something in her eyes as she slowly matched his position because when she raised her eyes to Emmett's again, his grin was gone and so was some of his attitude.

"Are you sure _this _is what you want Emmett?" She asked softly, her body still and poised.

Emmett looked unsure, but after a pause he grinned back at her. "Bring it!"

_Well, can't say I didn't try._

"3, 2, 1…"

As a vampire, you saw the world differently, everything was super enhanced and finely detailed.

Alice's first indication of something wrong was Emmett's high pitched yelp, but in the time it took her to drop down from her perch it was already over, all that remained were two sizable cracks along her brothers shoulder, which he gripped to his body, and a crack across his forehead.

And a pile of rocks where the large stone had once stood.

"So I win, right?" Bella asked in an amused tone, trying to hold back her grin.

Emmett glared at her before turning and walking away.

Bella watched his retreat with pride, and a good dose of satisfaction. He'd have a bruised ego for a few hours but she was positive that she'd let him off lightly.

Alice rolled her eyes and nudged Bella in the side.

"What?" Bella asked as she adopted her best innocent look.

Alice sniggered and shook her head at her friend, kicking bits of rubble out of her path as she started after Emmett.

Bella grinned to herself and moved to walk beside Alice, slipping her arm around the shorter vampires shoulders. "Always knew Emmett was hard-headed." She whispered after a moment.

Alice laughed and eased her arm around Bella's waist, sighing happily as the older vampire pulled her closer and she felt a feather light kiss to her head.

They walked in silence as they made their way back to the house, their steps almost deliberately slow.

"Jasper really lost?" Bella asked in an almost bewildered tone, her face still turned into Alice. Her impression and regard for Alice's former partner quickly diminishing at this bit of news.

It would go a way to explaining why he was so covered in scars. His gift would aid his attack on unsuspecting vampires but come up against someone who wasn't so easily manipulated, now that would be a fight.

Alice nodded her head carefully, not wanting to dislodge Bella. "And Edward, and Carlisle."

Bella was silent for a few moments as she tried to rid herself of thoughts of Jasper and his use of his power, especially in the context of the vampire now pressed up against her body.

She took a deep breath and tried to just enjoy the walk and having Alice so close. Her scent was soothing and distracting all at once. It was nice, more than nice, it was making it harder and harder to even think briefly of leaving when the threat to the Cullen's was gone completely.

She sighed softly and dismissed her own personal issues as they neared the house. Emmett, no doubt, had already found Rosalie and concocted some sort of story that would leave his pride intact. _For the time being anyway._

"Could he beat Rosalie?" Bella asked with a smirk, the blonde would be the better challenger out of the rest of the Cullen's.

Alice giggled. "Not sure, you'll have to ask her yourself."

Bella smiled down at her friend. "Maybe I will."

xxxxxx

The sun was just starting to break into the skyline as Bella and Alice arrived back at the house.

Bella dropped her arm from around Alice's shoulder, but not wanting to lose complete contact with the other vampire, slipped her hand into Alice's and tugged her gently around the side of the building where Bella could hear and smell Rosalie working on a car in the garage.

"Come on."

Alice grinned to herself when Bella kept hold of her hand as they entered through the open garage door.

"Hey Rose!" Alice said as she and Bella stopped in front of Emmett's truck, where Rosalie's feet were visible as she worked on something or other underneath.

Rosalie for her part just grunted at them in acknowledgement but continued what she was doing.

Bella and Alice looked at each other before Bella shrugged and started for the inner door leading into the house only to feel a tug on the hand joined to Alice's. Frowning, she turned to see what was wrong only to find the smaller vampire in the midst of a vision.

Bella growled, stepping closer as she felt anxious about her friend being in an altered state even if they were safe in Cullen territory.

"What's wrong?" Rosalie asks having heard Bella and slid out from her position under her husband's truck. "Oh, is that all." She muttered on seeing her sister.

Bella's fangs twitched at Rosalie's comment but she kept her attention on Alice, squeezing the dark haired girls hand as she waited for her to come out of the vision she was seeing in her mind.

After a few seconds Alice blinked rapidly and sighed as the world around her came back into focus.

"You okay?" Bella asked softly, her voice laced with concern although she was hesitant to follow her instincts which very much wanted to pull the other girl into her arms.

Alice shook her head a little in an attempt to rid herself of the emotions her vision had brought with it.

"Yeah." She replied to Bella although the older vampire remained looking unconvinced. She sighed and started guiding Bella into the house, aware of Rose following behind. "Just, Edward and Jasper are due back soon. He's not going to be happy." She explained.

Bella tightened her grip on Alice's hand, it would be the first time she would be face to face with Jasper since he and Alice had separated. She wasn't sure how to feel about that. What little time she'd spent with him she'd genuinely come to like him, and he'd made Alice happy for a very long time even if part of her wanted to question the truth to that.

Still, she would wait and see his reaction to her before committing herself one way or the other. He'd earned that much from her.

"Okay?" She finally replied to Alice's information. She eyed her friend more closely seeing something in the way the smaller vampire was looking off to the side of her that prickled her senses.

Bella guided them into the sitting room and pulled Alice down beside her as Rosalie stood a few feet away from them, also waiting for the rest of Alice's vision to be revealed.

"What is it Alice? What did you see?" Bella asked gently.

Alice took a breath, her eye looking down at Bella's hand in her own. She wrapped her other hand around Bella's and shrugged her shoulders again. "He was arguing with you, Edward, at least I think it was you, it was off to my side and I couldn't make myself turn to see for sure."

Bella nodded encouragingly still not hearing anything that bothered her.

"It just," Alice continued. "It felt wrong, tense." She sighed again knowing she wasn't explaining what she'd felt very well. "He was standing next to Carlisle with Jasper who looked worried but not as angry as Edward obviously was. There was just something…" Frustrated Alice closed her eyes and tried to recall everything she'd seen.

Alice had been having visions on a regular basis from when she first awoke as a vampire to this very day. Sometimes a scene would play out and she could see and hear everything as if she was there taking part, other times she heard more than she saw, a telephone conversation for example, sometimes she wouldn't even be able to tell who picked up the call, just the important part of what was said.

And sometimes it was like just now, all picture and no sound.

She could see the anger in Edwards's face, the shape of his mouth as he spoke telling her he was shouting at someone. But there was no sound, whatever he had to say, it wasn't of importance.

Alice nodded to herself, while she was worried about Edward's continued petulant behaviour over Bella's presence she felt Bella herself wasn't too troubled by it. So Alice dismissed Edward from her vision, that left Carlisle, who she could only partially see, and Jasper who stood a step or two away from Edward. Now she ignored Carlisle's presence and narrowed herself onto Jasper's face, and in particular his eyes since not once did he speak in her vision.

In that first moment that she'd been pulled into the future, Jasper's eyes had fleetingly been aimed in her direction. They'd held for a second before returning to the spectacle Edward was creating beside him. Alice hadn't seen anything untoward in his eyes, perhaps a flicker of interest or enquiry but it had been gone before he'd looked away from her. The next motion in his face was a twitch of both his eyebrow and the corner of his lips before he glanced from Edward to where she suspected Bella was positioned. Alice didn't have to go too far out on a limb by guessing Bella had made an off handed comment to whatever abuse Edward was subjecting her too and most likely got a laugh from somewhere else in the room.

Then Jasper's eyes flicked back to Edward only to slide past his brother's shoulder and widen slightly.

And that had been the end of the vision.

Bella waited patiently as Alice disappeared into her own head beside her, even Emmett, Carlisle and Esme's arrival into the room couldn't pull her attention away from her friend.

Once more Alice opened her eyes into the red of Bella's. It was still strange to see having spent so long among humans and living as the Cullen's did. She'd often associated the blood red colour with a touch of fear knowing human feeders posed a threat to her family's way of life, either by attacking themselves or by killing humans close to where they resided forcing them into moving on or draw unwanted attention to themselves.

They also represented the Volturi and the eager way Aro often eyed her whenever she had the misfortune to spend time there.

But now, on Bella, she was starting to grow quite fond of it, of how they would brighten to an almost rose colour or darken to burgundy depending on Bella's emotions.

"Alice?"

"Hm?"

Bella grinned, hearing Emmett snort as Alice continued staring at her. She herself was quite enjoying the attention. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh." Alice finally looked away from Bella and noticed the rest of her family was in the room. She smiled sheepishly.

"What did you see?" Carlisle asked with a touch of concern. The deaths in the city and the lack of contact from the wolves of La Push had him wary of repercussions.

Alice looked at Bella for a moment, letting her family wait as she tried to convey her worry to the older vampire without tipping off the others around her. She saw Bella's eyes narrow and blinked before turning back to Carlisle, hoping Bella wouldn't speak up and call her on her strange behaviour.

"Oh, well Jasper and Edward are going to be returning soon, I'm not sure if it's good news or bad but Edward isn't going to be happy." She explained only to see Rosalie roll her eyes. "That's as much as I could see."

"Interesting." Carlisle mumbled to himself, then looked up at Alice and Bella, his expression brightening. "Perhaps until then, Bella, if you wouldn't mind talking with me in my study?"

Bella felt Alice's grip tighten on her before Carlisle had finished his request. Alice shouldn't have worried, Bella had no intention of leaving the smaller vampires side so Carlisle was just going to have to wait.

Carlisle found himself battling with his annoyance as Bella shook her head negatively as she sat beside his daughter. He'd been polite in his invitation to speak with the older vampire alone but she was proving to be unaccommodating whenever he sought out more information from her.

"I think we need to focus on the return of Edward and Jasper, if I'm not mistaken, I was accused of being a killer not so long ago." A wry grin appeared on Bella's face as she paused. "_Human_ killer." She clarified. "Although I am a killer, I haven't spilt human blood in a long time."

That silenced the room and Bella couldn't help but chuckle at the reaction.

"In any case we should wait for their news before moving on to the fascinating subject that is my life." She continued enjoying the way Carlisle stiffened. She knew the others didn't always know what to make of her, of her actions or her tales, it was greatly amusing to her now, after fearing for a time saying the wrong thing would cause untold damage to the future lives of this coven.

That was slowly becoming less and less of a concern now and more of a blessing, she had struggled for such a long time in anger and pain that perhaps now was the time to start really living again.

She was what she was and from now on the vampires around her would just have to learn to accept that.

"Behave." Alice whispered, although there was a lack of reproach in her tone. Bella responded by giving Alice a 'what?' look of innocence.

"Speaking of…" Emmett announced as he leapt up from his seat beside his wife and flashed over to the wall length window in the room and opening it as the sound of thundering footsteps could be heard now.

Moments after the pane of glass had been opened two figures entered the room.

Bella shuffled closer to Alice and wrapped her in her arms in an attempt to relax herself now that Edward and Jasper had arrived, both of whom she had reason to be grouchy with and she didn't want to get into any needless arguments or fights, not now, not when she knew that there was something in Alice's vision that she had deliberately failed to disclose to the rest of the room.

She saw the glare Edward was directing at her as he moved to Carlisle's side but she would ignore that for the time being. Alice had been tense beside her from the moment they had sat down and even now, in her arm, she remained that way. So Bella would stay very alert but her main focus was going to be making Alice's safety her priority, and while it may sound boastful of her, she doubted there was a safer place right now for Alice to be than there in her arms.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Edward spat.

Carlisle sighed. "Please Edward, just tell us what you both found in Seattle." He asked hoping to limit the drama for a change.

"Are you both okay?" Esme cut in never one to stop worrying after her children even after all of these years together.

Jasper smiled at her and sent a wave of relaxing feeling her way as he replied to her, "We are, it was a rather fruitless journey, although we did detect other vampires in Seattle we never managed to catch sight of any and we lost all traces of them at the docks."

"Them?" Carlisle cut in glancing at Edward to explain.

Edward reluctantly gave his father the attention he was due as head of the coven. "Yes, from the different scents, maybe as many a twenty vampires, most likely newborns."

"That many?" Even Carlisle was astounded at the news. One or two newborn vampires could decimate a town on their own, up to twenty could easily wipe out a city the size of Seattle in a matter of days if they were overcome with the need to kill.

"Someone must be controlling them, and cleaning up after them. Not to mention hiding them somewhere." Jasper replied giving his impression of the situation they'd found.

"This is very troubling indeed." Carlisle said.

Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Because things aren't complicated enough around here!_

"Are we boring you with this information?" Edward snarled at Bella. "Know something we don't?" He asked stepping closer to the couch.

Alice narrowed her eyes at her brother, picking up on his implication. "Back off Edward."

"Will someone explain to me why Bella feeding from humans doesn't seem to be bothering any of you!" Edward exploded at his family. "She has to have been involved and you're all just sitting here with her!" Even Jasper had dismissed bringing up the change in Bella's eye colour even though he was very curious as to the cause and what it meant for future feedings. But the rest of his family weren't even thinking about it or connecting her eyes to the recent deaths in Seattle.

_How can they be so naive!_

"Werewolf." Four voices spoke up at the same time.

Edward looked on the verge of screaming. "How on earth can you believe that?"

Carlisle placed his hand on Edward's shoulder and tightened his grip in an effort to calm his son. "Because it's true, I tasted her blood myself, there was no hint at all of human blood, I can assure you."

Edward listened to the thoughts around him, those that he could hear at any rate, and deflated slightly as Emmett confirmed Carlisle's statement.

Edward crossed his arms and glared at Bella who was grinning back at him from behind Alice's shoulder. He eyed the pair carefully, annoyed that Alice was silent to him. He also disliked the way his sister was being held in that vampires arms, it was almost as if…

"That's un-natural."

Bella's eyes narrowed but Alice's hand was rubbing gently at her arm in a comforting manner that she was enjoying too much to disturb. However, that wasn't to say she wouldn't have enjoyed ripping Edwards head off right there and then, convinced he wasn't talking about her feeding from shifters, she'd seen the disgusted look he'd given her hands around Alice's stomach.

"I guess I'm just special like that." She replied calmly.

Jasper cleared his throat to break the sudden tension in the room. "There's something else."

"Of course there is." Rosalie huffed.

Jasper suppressed a smile as he took in the amused expressions around the room. "On our return to Forks we witnessed a caravan of cars leaving through the mountain pass."

"Who?" Carlisle asked wondering at why a hunting trip or some such should be of concern.

Edward growled through his clenched teeth. "It was the La Push pack."

xxxxxxx

**AN**/

Would you look at that… I forget these things but I think this is called an 'update'? Have I got that right?

Anyway, wasn't that interesting.

;)


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